Daijiworld Media Network - London
London, May 15: Taking antidepressants during pregnancy does not increase the risk of children developing autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a major international study analysing more than half a million pregnancies.
The research, conducted by scientists at the University of Hong Kong and published in The Lancet Psychiatry, examined data from 37 studies involving around 600,000 pregnant women who used antidepressants, alongside 25 million women who did not take the medication during pregnancy.
Initial findings showed that antidepressant use during pregnancy appeared to be associated with a 35 per cent higher risk of ADHD and a 69 per cent increased risk of autism in children.
However, researchers said the association disappeared after adjusting for other important factors such as pre-existing mental health conditions, genetics, and family history.
Lead author Dr Wing-Chung Chang said the findings provide reassuring evidence for parents and healthcare providers.
“We know many parents-to-be worry about the potential impact of taking medication during pregnancy. Our study found no significant link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and increased risk of autism or ADHD after accounting for other influencing factors,” he said.
Researchers noted that similar increased risks were also observed among children whose fathers used antidepressants and among women who had taken antidepressants before pregnancy but not during it. This, they said, suggests that underlying genetic and mental health factors — rather than the medications themselves — may explain the earlier observed associations.
The study also found no major difference in risk between high-dose and low-dose antidepressant use during pregnancy.
Experts cautioned that untreated depression during pregnancy can itself pose serious risks to both mother and baby, including premature birth, postnatal depression, and difficulties in mother-child bonding.
Professor James Walker, emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Leeds, said women with moderate or severe depression should not stop prescribed antidepressants out of fear of causing autism or ADHD.
He added that treatment decisions during pregnancy should always be made carefully in consultation with qualified medical professionals.
Researchers acknowledged certain limitations in the study, including lack of detailed data on lifestyle factors, socioeconomic conditions, and birth-related variables. However, they described the research as one of the most comprehensive analyses conducted so far on antidepressant use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.