The Link Between Antidepressants And Autism. Part 1 of 3

The Link Between Antidepressants And Autism. Despite some concerns to the contrary, children whose moms occupied antidepressants during pregnancy do not appear to be at increased risk of autism, a large strange Danish study suggests. The results, published Dec 19, 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine, offer some reassurance. There have been some hints that antidepressants called demanding serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) could be linked to autism. SSRIs are the “first-line” drug against depression, and include medications such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and paroxetine (Paxil).

In one modern US study, mothers’ SSRI use during pregnancy was tied to a twofold increase in the odds that her child would have autism. A Swedish study saw a similar pattern, though the risk linked to the drugs was smaller. But both studies included only parsimonious numbers of children who had autism and were exposed to antidepressants in the womb. The new study is “the largest to date” to look at the issue, using records for more than 600000 children born in Denmark, said distance researcher Anders Hviid, of the Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen.

And overall, his team found, there was no clear link between SSRI use during pregnancy and children’s autism risk. Hviid cautioned that the verdict is still based on a small number of children who had autism and prenatal exposure to an SSRI – 52, to be exact. The researchers eminent that it’s not possible to rule out a small increase in autism risk. “At this point, I do not think this potential association should feature prominently when evaluating the risks and benefits of SSRI use in pregnancy”.

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