Use of Antidepressants during Pregnancy may Increase Risk of Malformations in Newborns

Mothers-to-be on antidepressants may increase their child's risk for certain health issues, including Chiari type 1 malformations.

However, researchers cautioned doctors from changing prescription practices based on study results.

"Our results can be interpreted two ways," said Rebecca Knickmeyer, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry in the UNC School of Medicine and lead author of the study, in the press release. "Either SSRIs increase risk for Chiari type 1 malformations, or other factors associated with SSRI treatment during pregnancy, such as severity of depression itself, increase risk. Additional research into the effects of depression during pregnancy, with and without antidepressant treatment is urgently needed."

Findings showed that about 18 percent of the children whose mothers took SSRIs during pregnancy had Chiari type 1 malformations, compared to 3 percent of children with mothers who did not have a history of the problem.

The results also showed that these malformations were highest in children whose mothers had indicated a family history of depression in addition to treatment with SSRIs during pregnancy.

Researchers note that this study stresses the important role of genes in malformations.

"These results raise many interesting questions, and there are many things we still don't know," said study co-author Samantha Meltzer-Brody, MD, MPH, associate professor of psychiatry in the UNC School of Medicine and director of UNC's Perinatal Psychiatry Program, in the press release.

"For example, we do not know how many of these children will go on to develop symptoms of Chiari type 1 malformations. What we do know is that untreated depression can be very harmful for women and their babies, and so we strongly encourage pregnant women who are being treated for depression to continue with their treatment."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.