A Deeper Shade of Blue

About 10% to 15% of women suffer from depression during pregnancy.  Literature accumulated over the last decade supports the use of certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the older tricyclic antidepressants during pregnancy, indicating no overall increase in the risk of congenital malformation in children exposed to these medications during the first trimester of […]

There are many studies which support the use of certain antidepressants during pregnancy. Most of the research over the last decade has focused on the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine (Prozac) and the older tricyclic antidepressants but there is some new data supporting the use of bupropion (Wellbutrin) during pregnancy.
Earlier reports had revealed […]

There is research to support the reproductive safety of certain antidepressants, including Prozac (fluoxetine) and the older tricyclic antidepressants. Less information on reproductive safety is available for the newer antidepressants. A recent study form researchers at the Motherisk Program in Toronto has looked at outcomes in infants exposed to the antidepressant mirtazapine (Remeron) in pregnancy. […]

Women with bipolar disorder are at high risk for illness during pregnancy. Unfortunately, many of the mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder, including lithium and valproic acid (Depakote), have been associated with congenital malformations (birth defects) when used during the first trimester. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released that the use of lamotrigine […]

Earlier this year a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine linked SSRI use during late pregnancy to an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a cardiovascular syndrome typically occurring in full-term or near-term infants. Typically within 12 hours of delivery, infants […]

Over the last decade, anticonvulsant medications or anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have been used more frequently in women of reproductive age. While this class of medications may be particularly helpful for the treatment of bipolar disorder and other mood disorders, they have significant interactions with other drugs. Many anticonvulsants induce liver enzymes and thus may enhance […]