WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Mental health problems are the main cause of death among pregnant women in the United States. Still, many women stop taking antidepressants during pregnancy. A new study shows that stopping these medicines is common and can raise the risk of serious mental health emergencies during pregnancy.
'The initial sort of impetus for doing this study was really in my day to day taking care of patients who stop their antidepressants for a variety of reasons in pregnancy,' said study author Kelly B. Zafman, a maternal-fetal medicine fellow at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. 'And then, unfortunately, we see that they really suffer in terms of their mental health during pregnancy and postpartum.'
Researchers worked with Independence Blue Cross in Pennsylvania to study how pregnant women used antidepressants. They looked at women who gave birth between January 2023 and December 2024. All of them had depression or anxiety before pregnancy and were taking antidepressants such as SSRIs or SNRIs in the three months before becoming pregnant.
Out of 3,983 women with depression or anxiety, 1,462 entered pregnancy while still taking these medicines. However, many stopped during pregnancy. About 18 percent stopped completely, and nearly 65 percent had a break in their medication for more than 60 days. In fact, only around 17 percent continued their treatment without interruption during pregnancy.
The study found that women who stopped taking antidepressants were more likely to face mental health emergencies during pregnancy. This was especially noticeable in the first and ninth months. In the first month, 58 out of 1,000 women who stopped medication had a mental health emergency, compared to 37 out of 1,000 who continued treatment. In the ninth month, the numbers were 59 versus 29 per 1,000.
These peaks may be linked to both physical and emotional stress during pregnancy, as well as stopping medication. Many women stop antidepressants in the first trimester, which is also when emergency visits increase. A similar pattern appears again in the third trimester.
Researchers noted that factors like realizing one is pregnant, early pregnancy symptoms, preparing for childbirth, and concerns about life after delivery can make the effects of stopping medication even harder.
In short, the researchers found that stopping antidepressants during pregnancy, along with the stresses that come with it, may increase the risk of mental health crises.
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