title: Elevated risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women with depression: depression or antidepressants?
abstract: A previous study suggested an increased risk of preeclampsia among women treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Using population-based health-care utilization databases from British Columbia (1997-2006), the authors conducted a study of 69,448 pregnancies in women with depression. They compared risk of preeclampsia in women using SSRIs, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) between gestational weeks 10 and 20 with risk in depressed women not using antidepressants. Among prepregnancy antidepressant users, the authors compared the risk in women who continued antidepressants between gestational weeks 10 and 24 with the risk in those who discontinued. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were estimated. The risk of preeclampsia in depressed women not treated with antidepressants (2.4%) was similar to that in women without depression (2.3%). Compared with women with untreated depression, women treated with SSRI, SNRI, and TCA monotherapy had adjusted relative risks of 1.22 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.97, 1.54), 1.95 (95% CI: 1.25, 3.03), and 3.23 (95% CI: 1.87, 5.59), respectively. Within prepregnancy antidepressant users, the relative risk for preeclampsia among continuers compared with discontinuers was 1.32 (95% CI: 0.95, 1.84) for SSRI, 3.43 (95% CI: 1.77, 6.65) for SNRI, and 3.26 (95% CI: 1.04, 10.24) for TCA monotherapy. Study results suggest that women who use antidepressants during pregnancy, especially SNRIs and TCAs, have an elevated risk of preeclampsia. These associations may reflect drug effects or more severe depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. kpalmste@hsph.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Palmsten
authors.forename: Soko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Setoguchi
authors.forename: Andrea V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Margulis
authors.forename: Amanda R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernández-Díaz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors