Over the past several years, there have been conflicting studies on whether antidepressants taken by pregnant women result in birth defects. Today, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study that many are calling the most detailed look at the issue. The study questioned 38,000 women who gave birth between 1997 and 2009 as to whether they had taken antidepressants in the month prior to becoming pregnant or in the first trimester of pregnancy. The study found that certain medications taken at certain points of time correlated to birth defects, while others did not. For a detailed list of the medications, The study is quick to point out that association is different from causation. That means that the fact that the children of women on certain drugs exhibited birth defects does not necessarily mean the drugs caused those birth defects. Many people take multiple drugs, and may people taking drugs are doing so due to underlying health conditions. So the birth defects could potentially be linked to those health issues or to those other medications. As explained in a similar ABC11 article, it can be dangerous for people to stop taking medications, and anyone concerned about the study should consult their doctor rather than adjusting their medications on their own. People concerned about their antidepressants who have already given birth to children should consult a lawyer. Our office offers free consultations on these matters.
Study Links Antidepressants to birth defects