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August 21, 2009
Medical groups issue treatment recommendations for pregnant women taking antidepressants.
The Wall Street Journal (8/21, Wang) reports that in a paper published Aug. 21 in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association issued treatment recommendations stating that pregnant women who suffer from depression should contemplate undergoing psychotherapy before taking antidepressants.
The groups also recommend that expectant mothers who have moderate or severe depression, repeated bouts of depression, or who have thoughts of suicide should stay on antidepressants throughout pregnancy. If a mom-to-be wants to taper off or stop taking an antidepressant, she should speak with her physician before doing so. The Journal points out that some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may cause an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension or cardiac abnormalities in newborns whose mothers took them during pregnancy.
Related Links:
- For Moms, Therapy Beats Drugs," Shirley S. Wang, Wall Street Journal, August 21, 2009.
Posted by admin at August 21, 2009 02:30 PM