Study shows link between certain antidepressants and fetus deaths

By Elizabeth Rhein

Published on April 06, 2006

Women who used antidepressants during their pregnancies were shown to deliver their babies prematurely 20 percent more often than women taking no medications. Among other risks heightened by the use of the drugs are low birth weight, newborn seizures, and fetal death.

The antidepressants in question -- Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil -- are part of a group known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or SSRI's. These drugs are currently the most-often prescribed to depressed expectant mothers.

Researchers' findings shed new light on the ongoing debate about whether it is appropriate to medicate pregnant women who are diagnosed with depression. The difficulty, doctors say, is that pregnancy naturally causes mood swings that tend to trigger past depression problems. Failure to accurately diagnose and treat pregnant women suffering from depression can be dangerous, leading to suicide in some cases.

If you are pregnant and have been prescribed an SSRI antidepressant, you should talk to your doctor to determine the best course of action.

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