"What must I know about taking an antidepressant and pregnancy?"
Taking antidepressant and pregnancy? This is an important question. If you are pregnant, your emotions are often beyond your control. All of a sudden you’ve got tears coming at the littlest thing. So, if you suffer from depression and then become pregnant, your worries can easily increase and get out of hand. Not fun. The world starts to fall apart even when you can’t find the mate to your other sock. Well, it did for some of us.
It is extremely common for us women to suffer from depression during pregnancy not just postpartum. Yet, little is widely known about the safety of antidepressants and pregnancy.
"What does medical research reveal about antidepressants and pregnancy?"
The most frequent symptoms found in newborn babies who were exposed to an antidepressant and pregnancy, or at least during the third trimester, were tremor, gas or sleep problems, and high-pitched cry. (Great! Just what a new mother needs!) In 13% of the babies, the symptoms were serious enough to meet the definition of a severe NAS (neonatal abstinence syndrome or ‘drug withdrawal’ in other words.)
What you do need to be aware of is that your baby will most likely be MORE affected by YOUR depression once she is born. Depression, as you most likely already know, can seriously change us and how we relate to others. So, if your depression is so severe that it hampers your care for your baby, you need to seriously talk with your doctor about your options and way the pros and cons of an antidepressant and pregnancy. Take your doctor's recommendation!
“I was prescribed an antidepressant during my 3rd trimester. When my son was born, he was colicky for the first 3 months. My husband and I took turns sleeping with him on the couch every 2 hours. Whether his colic was due to the antidepressants I do not know, but my baby is now a healthy and very happy 3 year old and I am a very happy mom. What I had to realize was that the antidepressant treated my symptoms of depression and I needed to work on the cause of my depression later on after my baby was born. I did this with proper therapy, personal prayer all the while taking care of my body giving it regular exercise, adequate sleep and eating the right foods.” – Merri Ellen, your friendly web editor :).
You need to pay close attention to your eating, exercising and sleeping habits to help defend depression.
"So, what do I need to remember about taking an antidepressant and pregnancy?"
Basically, if you are unsure of taking an antidepressant and pregnancy is your current season of life, be aware that levels of an antidepressant can be the difference. What is the safe level? That needs to be determined by your doctor because your doctor knows best your state of health.
I can't stress this enough...
You need to pay close attention to your eating, exercising and sleeping habits to help defend depression.
In the meantime, ask your doctor about the following powerful ingredients to implement in your life. To learn more, read our free report on the medical research which reveals 6 key ingredients that must be in our life to help us cure depression.
Free Report >> 6 Ingredients to Cure Depression
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Sources:
Nulman, I et al / “Child development following exposure to tricyclic antidepressants or fluoxetine throughout fetal life: a prospective, controlled study.” / National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health / Am J Psychiatry. 2002 Nov;159(11):1889-95.
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Simon, GE et al / “Outcomes of prenatal antidepressant exposure.” / National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health / Am J Psychiatry. 2002 Dec;159(12):2055-61.
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Nonacs R, Cohen LS. / Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2003 Sep;26(3):547-62. : Assessment and treatment of depression during pregnancy: an update.
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Casper RC et al. / J Pediatr. 2003 Apr;142(4):402-8. / “Follow-up of children of depressed mothers exposed or not exposed to antidepressant drugs during pregnancy.”
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Levinson-Castiel, R, M.D. / Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2006;160:173-176. / “Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome After In Utero Exposure to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Term Infants”
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