Antidepressant use during pregnancy ‘can impact child’s health’

Women who are on antidepressants during pregnancy may see a negative impact on their child's health in the long term, according to a Canadian study.

Research from McMaster University has found a correlation between the use of the medication fluoxetine during pregnancy and an increased risk of obesity and diabetes in children during later life.

A study of animal models has revealed that maternal use of a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors resulted in increased fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver of the adult offspring.

These outcomes raise new concerns about the long-term metabolic complications in children born to women who are on this kind of antidepressant. It suggests there are risks associated with this class of drug that have not previously been identified.

Study senior investigator Alison Holloway, associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at McMaster University, said: "The benefit of the study is it may help in the identification of a high-risk group of children who may require specific interventions to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life."

Pregnant women must be aware that numerous lifestyle factors can affect their child's health. A Bellevue Hospital Center/NYU School of Medicine study last month revealed that mealtime TV viewing during pregnancy can increase childhood obesity risk.