New research shows that stopping antidepressants during pregnancy can significantly increase the risk of a mental health crisis. Here's what you need to know.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania studied nearly 4,000 pregnant patients who all had a diagnosis of depression or anxiety and were taking an antidepressant (SSRI or SNRI) before pregnancy.
Risk was highest in the 1st and 9th months of pregnancy — times that are already emotionally intense for many people.
Increased risk of suicide, hospitalization, and other mental health crises during and after pregnancy.
Untreated depression is linked to preterm birth, preeclampsia, and low birth weight.
Mental health disorders are the leading cause of maternal death in the United States. Your mental health is not separate from your pregnancy health — it is your pregnancy health.
Current evidence shows that SSRI and SNRI antidepressants are not associated with:
Every pregnancy is different. Talk openly with your doctor about the risks and benefits for you specifically. This is a shared decision — and you should be fully part of it.
"This work underscores the need to take pregnant patients' mental health seriously and to offer the full range of treatment options — including medications when clinically appropriate."
— Dr. Kelly B. Zafman, MD, MSCR
Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
You deserve to have every option available to you. Stopping medication should never feel like something you have to do just because you're pregnant — talk to your provider first.
Never stop or change your medication without guidance from your healthcare team.
Tell your provider if you're feeling low, anxious, or overwhelmed — even between appointments.
Medication, therapy, and other supports can often be used together. You don't have to choose.