Antidepressants during pregnancy

[Joy427]

Is Zoloft or Librium safe during pregnancy? Are there any antidepressents that are safe during pregnancy?

[cmoretti]

Unfortunately, they CAN'T test them on pregnant women, BUT, there have been soooo many women on them in pregnancy. Basically it is up to you and your doctor. You have to look at your depression and the severity of it when off of medication. Depression can cause all kinds of problems in pregnancy and depression that goes unchecked is more harmful to the baby than the meds. If your depression is severe then your dr will probably recommend you staying on it. If it is mild and the risk is higher with meds they may recommend you stop them. It really is a case by case basis.

Zoloft and Prozac are used the most and have more of a history in pregnancy. Paxil, although it is an SSRI like the others, it also has a more addictive effect (meaning your body gets used to it and needs to be weaned off of it) to it and can cause withdrawal symptoms. I am continuing my Zoloft because I know being off of it would be more harmful to me and my baby then stopping it.

[tellytatum]

I was prescribed Prozac..Dr told me it was safer to take in early pregnancy but said that she didnt like me to take it the closer i got to delivering the baby because the baby could have withdraws from it..so i chose to take counceling to help the end of my pregnancy...

[Limonada]

I was on Celexa (aka Citalopram) for health anxiety just over a year...weaned off in March - it took me 2 tries, I had bad side effects the first time - because I'd been in therapy and was doing much, much better...and DH and I wanted to start TTC again.

Basically, my GP (the one who prescribed the meds) told me that it was "safe" to take while pregnant, as are most SSRIs.  But then he went on to tell me that there really hasn't been a lot of testing involving ADs and pregnancy.  Not enough to really get a good idea of what the effects, if any, might be.  That wasn't good enough for me:  I reasoned that, as long as I felt I could function without the meds (which I did), then there was no reason for me to stay on them while TTC.  A magazine article I read a couple of weekends ago, made me glad I went off of them:  it was all about the higher incidence of birth defects in babies born to women to take SSRIs (I think Paxil was the main one profiled).  Especially when the meds were taken during the second trimester, when most of the organs are being completely formed.

Good luck to you :-)

[SillyRenee]

Hi Joy.  I don't think they are safe.  I am currently taking Paxil and last week had a pregnancy scare and I was advised not to take them until we figured out if I was or not.  But I could be wrong.