title: Is electroconvulsive therapy during pregnancy safe?
abstract: Therapeutic options for psychiatric conditions are limited during pregnancy because many drugs are restricted or contraindicated. Electroconvulsive therapy constitutes an alternative, however there is controversy over its safety. Using the Epistemonikos database, which is maintained by searching multiple databases, we found five systematic reviews, including 81 studies overall describing case series or individual cases. Data were extracted from the identified reviews and summary tables of the results were prepared using the GRADE method. We concluded it is not clear what are the risks associated with electroconvulsive therapy during pregnancy because the certainty of the existing evidence is very low. Likewise, existing systematic reviews and international clinical guidelines differ in their conclusions and recommendations.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Proyecto Epistemonikos, Santiago, Chile. Email: dr.alvarojeria@gmail.com. Address: Concha y Toro 3459, Puente Alto. Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Cornejo
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Proyecto Epistemonikos, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zamorano-Levi
authors.affiliation: Proyecto Epistemonikos, Santiago, Chile; Servicio de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Hospital Sótero del Río, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Jeria
mesh_terms: D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*