title: Prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and autistic symptoms in young children: another red herring?
abstract: In this issue, El Marroun et al suggest an association between prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposure and autistic traits in children, as well as an association with prenatal depressive symptoms. However, SSRIs may be mere markers of severity of underlying illnesses and it may be premature to reach such conclusions about effects of treatment. Studies like this raise concerns as this may fuel further anxiety and guilt among women who are faced with depression in pregnancy and possibly leave some women without treatment.
authors.affiliation: Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London; Stephen Evans, MSc, Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London; Irwin Nazareth, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London; Stephen Evans, MSc, Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London; Irwin Nazareth, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Irene Petersen, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London; Stephen Evans, MSc, Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London; Irwin Nazareth, PhD, Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Irwin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nazareth
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors