Neonate characteristics after maternal use of antidepressants in late pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
Exposure to antidepressants during the third trimester of pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk for adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth, respiratory distress, and hypoglycemia.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate neonatal outcomes in 997 infants (987 mothers) after maternal use of antidepressants based on prospectively recorded information in antenatal care documents.


RESULTS
An increased risk for preterm birth (odds ratio [OR], 1.96) and low birth weight (OR, 1.98) was verified, but the gestational week-specific birth weight was increased notably after exposure to tricyclic antidepressants. An increased risk for a low Apgar score (OR, 2.33), respiratory distress (OR, 2.21), neonatal convulsions (OR,1.90), and hypoglycemia (OR, 1.62) was found, the latter especially after exposure to tricyclic drugs, but no significant effect on the frequency of neonatal jaundice was seen (OR, 1.13). Most effects seemed not to be selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drug specific, and outcomes after exposure to paroxetine hydrochloride were not worse than after exposure to other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.


CONCLUSIONS
Neonatal effects after maternal use of antidepressant drugs during late pregnancy were seen. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be the drugs of choice during pregnancy.
Källén
Bengt
B
Tornblad Institute, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden. embryol@embryol.lu.se
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001034:Apgar Score; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D020936:Epilepsy, Benign Neonatal / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000139:chemically induced; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000139:chemically induced; D012306:Risk; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors