Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/869597
Antidepressants During Pregnancy: What's a Mom to Do? None of us wants to have to take a medica on while we're pregnant. We're trying to protect our babies from poten al toxins. We go organic to avoid unnecessary chemicals in our foods, we switch to glass water bo les to avoid BPA, we stop drinking wine and coffee. So, the last thing we want is to purposefully expose our babies to possibly unsafe medica ons! But untreated depression in pregnancy can also be harmful – leading to a host of short and long-term problems for mom and baby. This leaves pregnant mommas struggling with a really, tough decision. It's a rock and a hard place kind of choice. So, what's a pregnant mom to do? Are Antidepressants Safe or Dangerous During Pregnancy? Emerging data on many medica ons used in pregnancy, from Tylenol to an depressants suggests that we must con nue to deeply ques on whether most are safe for use in pregnancy. All medica ons used for mental health cross the placenta, thus exposing the developing fetus to these drugs, and, in- spite of widespread use, there's s ll a lot we don't know about their safety in pregnancy. Yet another recent study showed that paroxe ne (Paxil), a widely used an depressant in pregnancy, increases the risk of birth defects. While the risk is small, if this happens to your baby, that risk is 100% for you. The most commonly recommended medica ons for depression (and anxiety) in pregnancy are the SSRIs and SNRIs, and these are really the only ones that are considered even remotely "safe." Most other categories of an depressants – mood stabilizers and tricyclic an depressants, for example, are associated with congenital malforma ons and should almost always be avoided. While substan al studies in hundreds of thousands of pregnant women do not show any harm from using these drugs while pregnant, other important studies, including by the Na onal Birth Defects Preven on Study, have found that exposure during pregnancy increases the risks of complica ons including: • Congenital malforma ons (septal heart defects, craniosyntosis, anencephaly, and omphalocele) • Preterm birth • Gesta onal hypertension • Preeclampsia • S llbirth There is a controversial associa on with increased miscarriage risk. Addi onally, newborns that had been exposed to maternal use of an depressants during the pregnancy, may exhibit poor neonatal adapta on (neonatal behavior syndrome), which includes tremors, rapid breathing, and even persistent pulmonary hypertension. Since 2004, drug-labeling laws require a warning about the poten al for adverse effects on newborns to appear on an depressant packaging. Timing of use during the pregnancy (i.e., which trimester), and at what dose, may have an impact on safety, as does the choice of medica on. Are There Safe, Effective Non-Drug Options? Effec ve non-drug op ons in pregnancy include omega-3 fa y acids, light therapy, Sam-E, yoga, and talk therapies. Page 24 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com