Antidepressants -- not depression -- increase risk of preterm birth, study shows - Polidicks

[quote][B]Women who are depressed during pregnancy are not at higher risk of giving birth prematurely than non-depressed women — but those who take antidepressants during pregnancy seem to be, a new study by Yale researchers shows.[/B] The results, reported May 25 online in the journal Epidemiology, are good news for women who worry that their depression will harm their baby. Researchers also stress that women who take antidepressants during pregnancy should not be overly alarmed. Women did not ask to be depressed and yet they worry that their depression may affect their baby,” said Kimberly Yonkers, professor of psychiatry and of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences. “This study tells them they should not worry that they are somehow compromising their pregnancy because they are depressed. And when considering whether to take medication for depression, women should understand that the risk of preterm birth is only one of many factors they should weigh.” The study found that taking serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) during pregnancy significantly increased risk of what is called a late preterm birth. Late preterm birth is defined as at least 34 weeks after gestation but before 37 weeks. Antidepressant use is not associated with early preterm birth, which is much more dangerous to the baby. Yonkers said that several previous studies suggested depression itself might lead to premature birth. The Yale team studied almost 3,000 pregnant women, including those who were diagnosed as depressed during their pregnancy. After controlling for numerous variables such as health history, age, drug use, and socio-economic status, they found no association between depression and premature birth. They did find a significant risk of preterm birth among women who were taking anti-depressants. So should depressed women not take antidepressants? “A woman should always consult with her doctor, but if she is symptomatic and suffering the use of antidepressants may be indicated,” Yonkers said. [I]Kathleen Belanger of Yale was senior author of the paper. Megan V. Smith, Nathan Gotman and Haiqun Lin are other Yale-affiliated authors.[/I][/quote] [url=http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-antidepressants-depression-preterm-birth.html]Source[/url]

Interesting, but I'd assume doctors would still recommend they take them away. Depression is a horrible sickness for pregnant mothers.

I wouldn't call depression a sickness.. It's more a state of mind. The drugs alter the woman's state of mind and over time people can get addicted to them or worse can happen. Doctors don't really think about repurcussions, they just want to prescribe more addictive drugs to keep patients from complaining.

[QUOTE=AK'z;36113651]I wouldn't call depression a sickness.. It's more a state of mind. The drugs alter the woman's state of mind and over time people can get addicted to them or worse can happen. Doctors don't really think about repurcussions, they just want to prescribe more addictive drugs to keep patients from complaining.[/QUOTE] Uh, except major depression is a serious disorder and biologists have found links between depression and neurotransmitters. Depression is just as much a biological disorder as it is a psychological one.

Did I say mental issues don't affect biological processes?

Before this thread gets going, I just want to remind you all that unless you have been depressed (as in, theraphy/medication) or you are a psychiatrist, you do not [I]really[/I] know what depression is

Thanks. It's nice to know people can twist an innocent interpretation into an insult.

[QUOTE=AK'z;36114105]Thanks. It's nice to know people can twist an innocent interpretation into an insult.[/QUOTE] He missed your point completely, don't even worry about it.