title: The Relationship between Prenatal Antidepressant Use and the Decision to Breastfeed among Women Enrolled in a Randomized Exercise Intervention Trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the numerous health benefits associated with breastfeeding, only 49% of postpartum women in the United States breastfeed at 6 months. Therefore, it is important to understand factors that may influence a woman's decision to breastfeed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between prenatal antidepressant use and the decision to breastfeed among postpartum women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were postpartum women (N = 87) who had participated in a randomized trial examining the efficacy of a 6-month exercise intervention for the prevention of postpartum depression (2009-2012). Participants were recruited from the upper Midwest and were at risk for postpartum depression. Participants completed telephone-based questionnaires assessing their prenatal antidepressant use and breastfeeding behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen percent of the participants took an antidepressant medication during pregnancy and 91% breastfed at birth. After controlling for baseline depressive symptoms, body mass index, and condition assignment, participants who were taking an antidepressant during pregnancy were less likely to initiate breastfeeding than participants who were not taking an antidepressant during pregnancy, β = -2.042, P < .05 (odds ratio = 0.130; 95% confidence interval, 0.024-0.696).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study indicates that prenatal antidepressant medication use may be a potential barrier to breastfeeding initiation. Additional research is needed to better understand the factors that play a role in the relationship between prenatal antidepressant use and breastfeeding initiation.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA blewis@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schuver
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Dwenda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gjerdingen
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.affiliation: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sirard
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Bess H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Marcus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003657:Decision Making; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: antidepressants; breastfeeding; exercise; postpartum depression