Antidepressants raise miscarriage risk

Courtesy of UPI

Canadian researchers say the risk of miscarriages is 68 percent higher in women who took antidepressants during pregnancy. Researchers from the University of Montreal said they recommend doctors discuss with their patients the risks and benefits of antidepressant therapy during pregnancy. The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, involved 5,124 women who were part of a large population-based group of pregnant women who had clinically verified miscarriages and a large sample of women from the same registry who did not have a miscarriage. Of those who miscarried, 284, or 5.5 percent, had taken antidepressants during pregnancy. Antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors -- especially paroxetine and also venlafaxine -- were associated with increased risk of miscarriage as were higher daily doses of either antidepressant. A combination of different antidepressants doubled the risk of miscarriages. "These results, which suggest an overall class effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are highly robust given the large number of users studied," Dr. Anick Berard, the study's senior author, said in a statement.