Patterns of antidepressant medication use among pregnant women in a United States population
Abstract
This article describes the pattern of reported antidepressant use around the time of pregnancy in a population-based sample of women who delivered live-born babies without birth defects. Data were used from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, an ongoing case-control study of risk factors for birth defects covering 10 US states. Mothers of live-born infants without birth defects (controls) born between 1998 and 2005 were randomly selected from each site. Information on the mother's characteristics and exposure to antidepressants was collected via a standardized telephone interview. Among 6582 mothers included in the study, 298 (4.5%) reported use of an antidepressant in the period of 3 months before through the end of pregnancy. Use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors was reported most often (3.8%), followed by bupropion (0.7%). A statistically significant decline was observed, from 3.1% to 2.3% (P < .001), in reported use of antidepressants between the first and second month after conception. The frequency of reported antidepressant use at any time during pregnancy increased from 2.5% in 1998 to 8.1% in 2005 (P < .001) in 4 states. The findings show an increase in reported antidepressant use over a 9-year period and a substantial decrease in use around the usual time of pregnancy recognition.
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Maternal SSRI use in SEED matched other US estimates, which lessens worry about participation selection bias.
“Additionally, rates of maternal SSRI use in the SEED sample were comparable to other US estimates (5–7), mitigating concerns about selection bias in participation.”
From Maternal Psychiatric Conditions, Treatment With Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2021) · cites this paper as [5]
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- Authors
- Alwan, S., Reefhuis, J., Rasmussen, S. A., Friedman, J. M., & Study, N. B. D. P.
- Affiliations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Reefhuis, Jennita
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-02
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 264-270
- ISSN
- 0021-9754 (ISSN-L)
- 0091-2700
- OpenAlex
- W1978332054
- Cited by
- 149
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 11.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- 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
- antidepressant use, pregnancy, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, bupropion, prenatal drug exposure, congenital malformations, pregnancy recognition, National Birth Defects Prevention Study
- MeSH terms
- Antidepressive Agents, Female, Humans, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, United States, Case-Control Studies, Bupropion, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
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