Beyer It is not advisable to become pregnant during treatment for depression
Ms. Chen, 23 years old, often suffered from insomnia and anorexia in the six months after her marriage. She lost a lot of weight. She was listless all day and was not interested in anything. She often cried alone and felt sorry for her other boyfriend before marriage. The doctor diagnosed her with depression and gave her the antidepressants amitriptyline and Diazepam. Her condition improved after about a month, and she continued to take amitriptyline to consolidate the treatment. About four months later, she told the doctor that she was two months pregnant. She is worried: Amitriptyline is harmful to fetus Is there any impact? Can I stop taking medicine?
Depression is a mental illness disease , obviously does not advocate pregnancy during treatment. Since any antidepressant drug crosses the placenta quickly, it may have effects on the fetus. In the United States, there are no antidepressants approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in pregnant women. Anyone who is considering discontinuing or maintaining antidepressant drugs during pregnancy needs to consider two points before making a decision: ① the impact of the drug on the fetus; ② the harm caused by untreated depression in pregnant women.
Effects of antidepressants on the fetus
According to the US FDA clinical According to animal experiment data, drugs are divided into five categories: A, B, C, D, and X. Category A is the safest for pregnant women. Category
Most of the antidepressants commonly used in clinical practice are category C. besides, Postpartum Toxic reactions or withdrawal syndrome occur. Such side effects are relatively common. For example, newborns who take tricyclic antidepressants during pregnancy may suffer from intestinal obstruction, sensitivity, irritability, and epilepsy attack. For those who take new antidepressants during pregnancy, newborns may have difficulty adapting, breathing difficulties, feeding difficulties, irritability, etc., but most of them are not serious and usually disappear within a short period of time.
Some patients and even doctors are worried about the impact of antidepressants on the fetus, so they stop taking antidepressants during pregnancy and only use neuroleptics instead. They believe that neuroleptics have less side effects and are safer for the fetus. In fact, this alternative treatment option is even more undesirable, because most antidepressants belong to Category D or X and have a greater impact on the fetus than antidepressants.
Pregnant women need to be more cautious when taking medication for depression
You should try not to take medication during pregnancy, but can depression be treated if a pregnant woman suffers from it? The latest research data shows that 25-44 years old of childbearing age female The prevalence of depression is 10%-20%, and the risk of depression is equal between pregnant and non-pregnant women; on the other hand, women with a history of depression have an increased risk of depression after pregnancy, especially in the first trimester.
People pay more attention to the impact of antidepressants on the fetus, but ignore the harm caused by untreated depressive disorders in pregnant women. Studies have found that pregnant women’s depressive symptoms and premature birth , related to low birth weight. Pregnant women with depressive disorders often experience decreased appetite, weight loss, and insomnia, which can affect the fetus. Moreover, women who have already taken antidepressants will face great risks if they stop taking them before and after pregnancy: 70% of women with recurrent depressive episodes who stop taking antidepressants to prepare for pregnancy will relapse in the first three months of pregnancy. Pregnant women with severe depressive disorders may also engage in self-injury and suicide.
