Antenatal antidepressants tied to adverse neonatal outcomes

Risk of respiratory distress appears to be dose-dependent, authors say
Reuters Health Staff writer
Pregnant woman taking a pill

Antenatal antidepressant use is linked with an increased risk of preterm birth, particularly at higher doses, and also with a greater risk of respiratory distress, a study suggests.

Compared with pregnant women on low doses of antidepressants who reduced their usage or stopped entirely, women were 31% more likely to have preterm delivery on moderate doses and 78% more likely on high doses.