Pregnant Mothers Taking Antidepressants May Risk Baby's Health
By www.menhealthonline.biz
In recent years, women have been advised to avoid medications during pregnancy and while breastfeeding their infants; yet, at the same time, some conditions pregnant women suffer such as hypertension (high blood pressure), asthma, epilepsy and depression require long-term and continued medication management.
It appears as though pregnant women suffering from depression may be in a no-win situation because failure to manage depression with continued SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medication may affect the health of both mother and child. SSRI's are designed to elevate the level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. A low level of serotonin is one of several neurochemical symptoms of depression. Low levels of serotonin can be caused by an anxiety disorder because serotonin is needed to metabolize stress hormones.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) has been found in infants of mothers taking Zoloft (generic sertraline) during pregnancy. Infants born with PPHN have difficulty making the transition from breathing inside the womb to normal breathing after deliver and often require a ventilator due to respiratory failure. Research has found that SSRI's accumulate in the adult's lungs and serotonin can cause the proliferation of certain muscle cells. This may possibly explain the drug's effect on the fetus. Approximately 10-20% of babies born with this condition do not survive.
SSRI's have also been known to cause withdrawal
