Table of contents:
- Is it safe to take antidepressants while pregnant?
- What are the possible risks from taking antidepressants while pregnant?
- When can I take antidepressants while pregnant?
- What types of antidepressants are safe for pregnant women?
It is not uncommon for pregnant women to feel depressed, stressed, feel anxious, and depressed. To overcome this, maybe some of the pregnant women take antidepressant drugs to relieve their condition. But is taking antidepressants while pregnant safe? Can antidepressant drugs have a bad impact on the health of the mother and the fetus?
Is it safe to take antidepressants while pregnant?
In fact, it is very important to deal with depression and stress in pregnant women. Pregnant women who experience depression are at risk of having complications during pregnancy, which can even lead to disability and miscarriage. Therefore, many pregnant women use antidepressant drugs to treat the symptoms of depression they experience.
A study conducted in 2005, found that every 1 in 20 women take antidepressants while pregnant to make themselves calmer. Most women are hesitant to take antidepressants while pregnant, for fear that it will be bad for fetal development.
But various studies have shown that in general, antidepressant drugs are safe to take while in pregnancy. Although risks such as birth defects can still occur, they are unlikely.
What are the possible risks from taking antidepressants while pregnant?
There have been many studies that have reviewed the use of antidepressant drugs in pregnant women. The results of these studies were mixed, some stated that antidepressants had a low risk of causing complications and some indicated the opposite. However, in general, antidepressants are safe to use. The risks that may occur are:
- Babies have high blood pressure at birth
- Miscarriage
- Defects in the baby's heart
- Birth defects
- Babies are born prematurely
- Babies are born with low body weight
Meanwhile, the long-term side effects of using antidepressants during pregnancy are still unclear. But several studies have found no difference in IQ scores, behavior, and learning abilities in children who are exposed to antidepressants while they are still in the womb.
When can I take antidepressants while pregnant?
Taking medication during pregnancy should not be done carelessly, as well as antidepressant drugs. You can take an antidepressant if you have moderate symptoms of depression. If the symptoms of depression have subsided and have even disappeared for about 6 months, then you should stop using them.
If during the use of antidepressant drugs you experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, increasingly anxious and sensitive, and tired, then you must stop using the drug.
What types of antidepressants are safe for pregnant women?
There are several types of antidepressants that are safe for consumption by pregnant women, namely:
Selective serotonin reuptakes inhibitors (SSRIs) is a type of antidepressant drug that is classified as safe for pregnant women. Drugs that include SSRIs are citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac), and sertraline (Zoloft).
Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) also antidepressant drugs that are safe to drink while pregnant. Examples of drugs that include SNRIs are duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor XR).
Buproprion (Wellbutrin) is a drug used to relieve depression and help a person to quit smoking. although this drug is not the main antidepressant drug that is considered safe, buproprion can be an option.
Trident, antidepressant drugs that can also be an option for pregnant women to relieve symptoms of depression.
Even so, in several studies it was stated that citaloparm, flouxetine, and sertraline can cause respiratory problems in newborns. However this is very rare.
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