Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pregnancy.


METHODS
We carried out a retrospective cohort study of 972 pregnant women who had been given at least 1 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor prescription in the year before delivery and 3878 pregnant women who did not receive selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and who were matched by the year of the infant's birth, the type of institute at birth, and the mother's postal code from 1990 to 2000 in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.


RESULTS
The risks of low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.19, 2.11), preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.28, 1.92), fetal death (adjusted odds ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.01, 4.93), and seizures (adjusted odds ratio, 3.87; 95% CI, 1.00, 14.99) were increased in infants who were born to mothers who had received selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pregnancy may increase the risks of low birth weight, preterm birth, fetal death, and seizures.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine, Canada. swwen@ohri.ca
Shi Wu
SW
Wen
Qiuying
Q
Yang
Peter
P
Garner
William
W
Fraser
Olufemi
O
Olatunbosun
Carl
C
Nimrod
Mark
M
Walker
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors