Birth outcomes after prenatal exposure to antidepressant medication.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine prospectively the incidence of congenital anomalies and neonatal complications after prenatal exposure to antidepressant medication.


METHODS
Birth outcomes were obtained from a review of obstetric and neonatal records of 138 women who were treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant medications (SSRIs) during pregnancy.


RESULTS
The incidence of congenital anomalies in this study was 1.4%, comparable to general population rates. Rates of low birth weight and preterm births were low, occurring in 2.9% and 6.5% of births, respectively. The low birth weight infants had been exposed to relatively high doses of fluoxetine (40-80 mg/d) throughout pregnancy. Average maternal weight gain in pregnancy was comparable across the three major medication categories (fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline).


CONCLUSIONS
After prenatal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant medications, neonatal complications and congenital anomalies appear to occur within general population rates. However, maternal use of high doses of fluoxetine throughout pregnancy may be associated with a risk for low birth weight.
Hendrick
Victoria
V
UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, Los Angeles, Calif, USA. vhendric@ucla.edu
Smith
Lynne M
LM
Suri
Rita
R
Hwang
Sun
S
Haynes
Desiree
D
Altshuler
Lori
L
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000139:chemically induced; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors