Health

SSRIs and birth defects

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 16, 2007

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Use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy does not significantly increase the risk for most birth defects, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.

The study, published in the June 28 New England Journal of Medicine, found no significant increase in the risks for the majority of birth defects assessed when all SSRIs were studied together. This includes the risk for congenital heart defects, which was linked with SSRI use in previous studies. Researchers did find associations between SSRI use and three specific birth defects. In each case, the increased risk was minimal and had not been detected before. They include a defect in the brain, a type of abnormal skull development and a gastrointestinal abnormality. The CDC plans to continue to study these associations to clarify if a true risk exists. In the same NEJM, a second study on SSRI use did not find such overall associations with birth defects but did highlight associations between specific SSRIs and several birth defects.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/07/16/hlbf0716.htm.

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