The Daily Mail reports that researchers from the Université de Montréal found that pregnant women who take antidepressants are 68% more likely to miscarry.
Depression is common during pregnancy due to hormonal shifts. About 1 in 30 women take antidepressants during while pregnant.
Researchers analyzed data from 5,124 women who had miscarried and a large sample of women who carried to term. Of those who miscarried, 5.5% (284 women) were taking antidepressants.
Senior author Dr. Anick Bérard works at the Université de Montréal and is the director of the Research Unit on Medications and Pregnancy at CHU Ste-Justine. She writes: "These results, which suggest an overall class effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are highly robust given the large number of users studied."
The researchers urge doctors who have female patients of childbearing age and pregnant patients who take medication to inform them of the risks of taking the medication while pregnant.
Not treating depression is dangerous too, for the baby as well as the future mother.