Cited by 206Pregnancy and Medication ImpactMaternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumPrenatal Substance Exposure Effects

Gestational exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and offspring psychiatric disorders: A national register-based study

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Malm, Heli, Brown, Alan S., Gissler, Mika, Gyllenberg, David, Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, Susanna, McKeague, Ian W., Weissman, Myrna, Wickramaratne, Priya +3 more·2016·Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Abstract

Objective To investigate the impact of gestational exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on offspring neurodevelopment.Method This is a cohort study using national register data in Finland between the years 1996 and 2010. Pregnant women and their offspring were categorized into 4 groups: SSRI exposed (n = 15,729); exposed to psychiatric disorder, no antidepressants (n = 9,651); exposed to SSRIs only before pregnancy (n = 7,980); and unexposed to antidepressants and psychiatric disorders (n = 31,394). We investigated the cumulative incidence of offspring diagnoses of depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for the 4 groups from birth to 14 years, adjusting for confounders.Results The cumulative incidence of depression among offspring exposed prenatally to SSRIs was 8.2% (95% CI = 3.1-13.3%) by age 14.9 years, compared with 1.9% (95% CI = 0.9-2.9%) in the psychiatric disorder, no medication group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.12-2.82; p = .02) and to 2.8% (95% CI = 1.4-4.3%) in the SSRI discontinued group (HR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.14-2.97; p = .01). Rates of anxiety, ASD, and ADHD diagnoses were comparable to rates in offspring of mothers with a psychiatric disorder but no medication during pregnancy. Comparing SSRI exposed to unexposed individuals, the HRs were significantly elevated for each outcome.Conclusion Prenatal SSRI exposure was associated with increased rates of depression diagnoses in early adolescence but not with ASD or ADHD. Until confirmed, these findings must be balanced against the substantial adverse consequences of untreated maternal depression.

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Authors
Malm, H., Brown, A. S., Gissler, M., Gyllenberg, D., Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, S., McKeague, I. W., Weissman, M., Wickramaratne, P., Artama, M., Gingrich, J. A., & Sourander, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • New York State Psychiatric Institute (US)
  • University of Turku (FI)
  • Columbia University (US)
  • Finnish Cancer Registry (FI)
Corresponding author
Malm, Heli
Venue
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-05
Volume
55
Issue
5
Pages
359-366
ISSN
0890-8567 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2290447957
Cited by
206
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 16
FWCI
32.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • STM:n Hallinnonalan avoin julkaisuarkisto (Julkari) (submittedVersion)
  • Columbia Academic Commons (Columbia University)
Funders
  • John Templeton Foundation
  • Helsingin Yliopisto
  • Suomen Lääketieteen Säätiö
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • University of Oxford
  • Turun Yliopisto
  • Lastentautien Tutkimussäätiö
  • Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of Mental Health (P50MH090966)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Pregnancy and Medication Impact
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
Keywords
prenatal SSRI exposure, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, maternal antidepressant use, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, brain development
MeSH terms
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Adolescent, Adult, Anxiety Disorders, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Bipolar Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Female, Finland, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Registries, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Maternal Exposure, Young Adult

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