Trusted Information for Healthy Pregnancies
Psychiatric Disorders During Pregnancy
Autism Spectrum Disorders and SSRIs
Jul 18th
It is now estimated that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affect about 1% to 2% of the population. Data derived from twin and sibling studies indicate that ASD is highly heritable. While genetic factors clearly play an important role, other studies point to an interplay between environmental and genetic factors in the etiology of this disorder. [...]
What is the Impact of Depression During Pregnancy?
Jul 12th
In a recent study by Gerardin and colleagues, the authors note that more research has been done to demonstrate the consequences of postpartum depression than depression during pregnancy (also called antenatal or prenatal depression). Infants born to mothers with depression during pregnancy have been demonstrated to have lower scores on motor behavior and more crying [...]
Generalized Anxiety in Pregnancy
Jun 21st
Few studies have focused on anxiety disorders in the perinatal period. While various studies have measured levels of anxiety or distress during pregnancy, most studies have relied upon self-report questionnaires to assess for anxiety. In contrast, few studies have used standardized diagnostic criteria to determine the prevalence of anxiety disorders in pregnant populations. In a [...]
In Utero Exposure to Antipsychotics
May 17th
May 2011, ObGyn News, Lee S. Cohen, MD Reprinted with permission from Ob. Gyn. News Copyright by International Medical News Group, an Elsevier company Previous columns on the reproductive safety of psychiatric medications have focused on the attendant risks of fetal exposure to antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and mood stabilizers such as lithium and sodium valproate. [...]
Anxiety During Pregnancy: How Does it Affect the Developing Fetal Brain?
Apr 11th
During fetal life, neurons proliferate, migrate and form connections, providing the structure of the developing brain. Neurons reach their final destinations by the 16th week of gestation, while branching and making appropriate connections occur even before that time (1). The brain continues to develop during the entire pregnancy, with most of the synapse formation in [...]
Making Individual Decisions Regarding the Use of Antidepressants During Pregnancy
Mar 14th
Women face difficult choices when deciding whether or not to continue psychiatric medications during pregnancy. This choice can be especially difficult for women taking newer medications which lack adequate reproductive safety data. It is not uncommon for women on newer medications with less reproductive safety data available to attempt to change to a better studied [...]
New FDA Warning on the Use of Antipsychotic Medications in Pregnancy
Mar 9th
On February 22, 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed healthcare professionals that drug labels for the entire class of antipsychotic drugs have been updated to include warnings regarding the use of antipsychotic drugs during pregnancy. The new drug labels now contain more details on the potential risk for abnormal muscle movements (extrapyramidal [...]
Clinical Update: Use of Stimulant Medications in Pregnancy
Sep 27th
Approximately 4% of the adult population suffers from ADHD. Attention and executive functioning difficulties also occur in those with mood and psychotic disorders and require treatment strategies similar to those used to address ADHD symptoms. First line medications most often used to treat ADHD in adults are Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall) and Methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin, Metadate). [...]
Discontinuation of Antidepressants: Slower is Better
Sep 13th
About half of all pregnancies are unplanned. In this situation, many women who conceive while on psychotropic medications decide to abruptly stop their medications when they discover they are pregnant. While this may seem like the safest option, in terms of protecting the developing fetus, we have data demonstrating high rates of relapse in women [...]
Should SSRIs Be Tapered Prior To Delivery?
Sep 8th
Increased muscle tone, jitteriness, sleep disturbance, irritability, feeding problems, mild respiratory distress and myoclonus have been reported as symptoms of a potential neonatal distress syndrome related to exposure to SSRIs in late pregnancy. The average duration of symptoms reported is 48 hours. It is estimated that between 25-30% of SSRI-exposed infants are at risk for [...]