Twenty two years after the FDA gave the go ahead to the manufacturers of Prozac, psychiatrists and physicians are still unsure about whether or not pregnant women are at significant risk if they continue to take it or other SSRIs to term, according to the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology in a new report.
Antidepressant use during pregnancy doubled between 1999 and 2003; for a time, SSRIs were considered safe for pregnant women. However, over the course of several years, speculation began to arise regarding the safety of Paxil. Two studies, one out of Sweden and the other out of the United States suggested that pregnant women taking Paxil were more likely to have babies born with a congenital heart defect. While the FDA issued a warning about the drug, later tests failed to verify those findings.
Other studies have linked SSRIs to an increased increase in miscarriage, low birth weight and preterm delivery. However, most researchers agree that the studies that rendered those conclusions were not adequately controlled.
For now, both groups recommend that pregnant women speak to their doctors about the possible risks and benefits of maintaining drug therapy during gestation. However, they are quick to point out that some women should continue to take their antidepressants to avoid withdrawal: those who have bipolar disorder, those who have experienced psychotic episodes, and those who are suicidal.
