title: Prenatal exposure to antidepressants and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn associated with antenatal exposure to antidepressants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and CINAHL from inception to 30 December 2012.
  English language studies reporting persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn associated with exposure to antidepressants. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the quality of each article.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3077 abstracts reviewed, 738 papers were retrieved and seven included. All seven studies were above our quality threshold. Quantitative analysis was only possible for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Although exposure to SSRIs in early pregnancy was not associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (odds ratio 1.23, 95% confidence interval 0.58 to 2.60; P=0.58), exposure in late pregnancy was (2.50, 1.32 to 4.73; P=0.005). Effects were not significant for any of the moderator variables examined, including study design, congenital malformations, and meconium aspiration. It was not possible to assess for the effect of caesarean section, body mass index, or preterm delivery. The absolute risk difference for development of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn after exposure to SSRIs in late pregnancy was 2.9 to 3.5 per 1000 infants; therefore an estimated 286 to 351 women would need to be treated with an SSRI in late pregnancy to result in an average of one additional case of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn seems to be increased for infants exposed to SSRIs in late pregnancy, independent of the potential moderator variables examined. A significant relation for exposure to SSRIs in early pregnancy was not evident. Although the statistical association was significant, clinically the absolute risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn remained low even in the context of late exposure to SSRIs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4N 3M5.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grigoriadis
authors.forename: Emily H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Vonderporten
authors.forename: Lana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mamisashvili
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.forename: Cindy-Lee
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: Meir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mousmanis
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Lori E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D047928:Premature Birth; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors