Citation

Susser LC, Sansone SA, Hermann AD. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2016; 215(6): 722-730.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajog.2016.07.011

PMID

27430585

Abstract

Perinatal depression is associated with high risk of morbidity and mortality, and may have a long term consequences on child development. The US Preventive Services Task Force has recently recognized the importance of identifying and treating women with depression in the perinatal period. However, screening and accessing appropriate treatment come with logistical challenges. In many areas, there may not be sufficient access to psychiatric care, and, until these resources develop, the burden may inadvertently fall on obstetricians. As a result, understanding the risks of perinatal depression in comparison to the risks of treatment is important. Many studies of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in pregnancy fail to control for underlying depressive illness, which can lead to misinterpretation of SSRI risk by clinicians. This review discusses the risks and benefits of SSRI treatment in pregnancy within the context of perinatal depression. While SSRIs may be associated with certain risks, the absolute risks are low and may be outweighed by the risks of untreated depression for many women and their offspring.

Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en