If you are pregnant or plan being pregnant in future, you should take this information serious.
A study published in JAMA Pediatrics has found that taking antidepressants during pregnancy increases the child’s risk of autism by 80 percent.
The research was carried by professor Anick Berard from the Université de Montréal and the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre.
To arrive at this conclusion, the researchers studied 145,456 children from conception to age 10. During the study, the researchers included factors like genetic predisposition to autism, depression, socio-economic factors (like poverty) and maternal age of the mother.
In a press release, lead researcher, professor Anick Bérard said:
“Given the mounting evidence showing increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome with antidepressant use during pregnancy… depression should be treated with other options (other than antidepressants) during this critical period.”
“Indeed, 80 to 85 percent of depressed pregnant women are mildly to moderately depressed; exercise and psychotherapy have been shown to be efficacious to treat depression in this sub-group. Therefore, we acknowledge that depression is a serious condition but that antidepressants are not always the best solution.”
S.O.Z