Information about the safety of psychotropic medications during pregnancy and lactation.
In 2006, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advised physicians to avoid prescribing the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil) to pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant, because of a possible increased risk of congenital heart malformations.
Mothers who become pregnant while taking an antidepressant are forced to make a difficult choice. Should they stop taking their medication in order to ensure the health of their baby? There is no clearcut answer, but this article covers the pros and cons based upon what we do know about antidepressants taken during pregnancy.
An answer from Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D., author of "Breakthrough Health."
Is St. John's Wort a safe alternative to prescription medications during pregnancy?
In 2006, the FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients of preliminary information from the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry that suggests that babies exposed to Lamictal during the first three months of pregnancy may have a higher chance of being born with a cleft lip or cleft palate.
A clinical trial investigating light therapy as a safe treatment for depression during pregnancy is seeking participants in the Pittsburg area.
While using antidepressants during pregnancy is not entirely without risk, research presented at the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry's 53rd Annual Meeting in San Diego revealed that untreated depression may also present certain risks to the fetus.
Includes information about the use of St. Johns' Wort during pregnancy. From your About.com Guide to Depression.
Researchers looking at antidepressant use during pregnancy found that, during the years studied, antidepressant use had increased and the increase was mostly accounted for by the rising use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressants which includes drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft and Celexa.
A study released by the Society for Women’s Health Research showed a large gap between how safe women believe antidepressants are during pregnancy and what doctors believe about their safety.
