Anti-depressants and Pregnancy

Women have become quite prone to antidepressants. Pregnant women find it quite difficult to manage control over these drugs because of constant fear of relapse; a relapse that might have bad repercussions on baby in the womb. Most of the working women resort to SSRIs to counter tension in daily life. However, it is significant to note that SSRIs could result in miscarriages too. In fact, studies have revealed that the risk of miscarriage doubles in women due to constant dose of SSRI. SSRI refers to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor useful in controlling mental stress.

Taking antidepressants has also proved harmful for the child in mother’s womb. The child is likely to develop symptoms of autism. It’s a nervous disease that affects the central part of the body, snatching away personal power to understand things clearly and precisely. Studies have revealed that mothers taking antidepressants might have children at higher risks of autism.

Babies are likely to be afflicted by persistent hypertension in case mothers are relying on heavy doses of SSRIs. The risk to get the disease is likely to escalate in the last trimester of pregnancy. The infants might become an easy victim of neonatal abstinence syndrome if mothers took antidepressants during pregnancy. The child might find discomfort due to disturbed sleep disorder, gastrointestinal problem and regular shivers. Studies have also revealed that mothers on SSRIs might see low birth weight of child. The child’s weight is likely to fall in case mother is heavily dependent on these medicines.

The increased risk to the child during pregnancy has brought in light the increased consequences of antidepressants. SSRIs are safe in some cases, however; harmful for child during pregnancy. The increase in birth deficiencies has escalated in recent times with antidepressants considered one of the major factors in such cases.