Major depressive disorder during pregnancy: Psychiatric medications have minimal effects on the fetus and infant yet development is compromised

Dev Psychopathol. 2018 Aug;30(3):773-785. doi: 10.1017/S0954579418000639.

Abstract

Psychotropic medication use and psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy each are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. Commonly, studies considering medication effects do not adequately assess symptoms, nor evaluate children when the effects are believed to occur, the fetal period. This study examined maternal serotonin reuptake inhibitor and polypharmacy use in relation to serial assessments of five indices of fetal neurobehavior and Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 12 months in N = 161 socioeconomically advantaged, non-Hispanic White women with a shared risk phenotype, diagnosed major depressive disorder. On average fetuses showed the expected development over gestation. In contrast, infant average Bayley psychomotor and mental development scores were low (M = 84.10 and M = 89.92, range of normal limits 85-114) with rates of delay more than 2-3 times what would be expected based on this measure's normative data. Controlling for prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms, prenatal medication effects on neurobehavioral development were largely undetected in the fetus and infant. Mental health care directed primarily at symptoms may not address the additional psychosocial needs of women parenting infants. Speculatively, prenatal serotonin reuptake inhibitor exposure may act as a plasticity rather than risk factor, potentially enhancing receptivity to a nonoptimal postnatal environment in some mother-infant dyads.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anxiety Disorders / drug therapy
  • Anxiety Disorders / prevention & control
  • Child
  • Child Behavior Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Child Behavior Disorders / diagnosis
  • Child Behavior Disorders / psychology
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / drug therapy*
  • Depressive Disorder, Major / psychology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Georgia
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / psychology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / drug therapy*
  • Pregnancy Complications / psychology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / chemically induced*
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / psychology
  • Psychotropic Drugs / adverse effects*
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Psychotropic Drugs
  • Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors