Antidepressant Medications During Pregnancy Increase Autism Risk: Study

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Children of women who took antidepressants during the last two trimesters of their pregnancy have an increased risk of having autism spectrum disorder, a study suggests.

The study published online in JAMA Pediatrics reveals that pregnant women who took antidepressants during the last half of their term had an 87 percent chance of having children with autism. However, women who took antidepressant medication during the first trimester of their pregnancy did not increase the risk of their children for autism.

The autism risk is incredibly riskier for women who took SSRI's (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor), a specific type of antidepressant medication which includes sertraline (Zoloft), escitalopram (Lexapro) and fluoxetine (Prozac), WebMD reports.

The research data was pulled from a Canadian registry of more than 145,000 infants who were observed for more than five years. The researchers looked at the medical records of the mothers of the children so they can determine which one took SSRIs.

Around 1,054 (0.7 percent) babies in the study were diagnosed with autism but it increased to 1.2 percent among women who took antidepressants during the last two trimesters of their pregnancy. According to USA Today, the Canadian study had lower rates than the US. The study was conducted in order to find out if a child's autism is brought about by the mother's depression or of her taking antidepressants.

According to LA Times, the research revealed that babies whose mothers took SSRIs had a 75-percent increased risk of developing autism than those whose mothers with depression histories. This means that those who took more than 1 drug for depression have a more severe form of the condition and, therefore, increase the risk of having a child with autism.

The study does not find a clear link between antidepressants and autism so pregnant women who have depression should not stop taking their drugs without talking to their doctor as it could be dangerous.

"It is critical to caution currently pregnant women who are on antidepressants who read about this study to not panic and suddenly discontinue their medication," Dr. Alan Manevitz of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, who is not involved in the study, told WebMD. "They could go through withdrawal symptoms that could be a higher risk than continuing on their medicine. They should consult their obstetrician and psychiatrist before deciding anything."

Senior study author Anick Berard, a professor at the University of Montreal School of Pharmacy, said that certain factors like environment and genetics can play a role to the development of autism.