Pregnancy as a Major Determinant for Discontinuation of Antidepressants

Abstract

Although antidepressant prescribing in pregnancy increased nearly 4-fold from 1992 to 2006, pregnancy was a major determinant of cessation of antidepressant medication, and most women did not receive further antidepressant prescriptions beyond 6 weeks of gestation. This finding may be explained by concerns about potential adverse effects of the medications, even though these concerns need to be balanced against the potential harm of inadequate treatment of depression during pregnancy.