Antidepressants during Pregnancy do not Increase Stillbirth and Infant Death Risks

Antidepressants during pregnancy may not increase the risk of stillbirth and infant death, a new study reveals.

Depression is one of the serious problems faced by one in every five pregnant women. Hormonal changes, genetic predisposition and social factors are some of the factors leading to this occurrence.

Earlier studies have shown antidepressant use during pregnancy leading to severe outcomes like babies with cardiac problems, autism or low birth weight.

To ensure safety, many women hesitate to take antidepressants. Finding a solution at an early stage is essential, as prolonged depression can lead to poor weight gain, preeclampsia, premature labor and trouble in bonding with the newborn.

For the current study, researchers looked at 30,000 pregnant women, taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). All the participants were from Nordic countries - Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.  Researchers collected information about SSRI use through prescription registries.

Other details about the participants like maternal characteristics and birth outcomes were drawn from patient and medical birth registries.

They found stillbirth and postneonatal death higher among women who used SSRI during pregnancy. (4.62 vs. 3.69 per 1000). The rate of neonatal death didn't show much difference (2.54 vs. 2.21 per 1000).

However, when considering multivariate models, according to the authors, "SSRI use was not associated with stillbirth, neonatal death, or postneonatal death."

"The present study of more than 1.6 million births suggests that SSRI use during pregnancy was not associated with increased risks of stillbirth, neonatal death, or postneonatal death," a Medicalxpress news release quoted the authors as writing. "The increased rates of stillbirth and postneonatal mortality among infants exposed to an SSRI during pregnancy were explained by the severity of the underlying maternal psychiatric disease and unfavorable distribution of maternal characteristics such as cigarette smoking and advanced maternal age."

The study has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).