[Breast feeding and treatment with antidepressive agents. A literature review]

Depression after delivery occurs frequently and, apart from being very painful, it may cause disturbance in the child's development. A number of these depressions are so severe that medical antidepressant treatment is indicated. This raises the question whether this kind of treatment should call for interruption of breast-feeding. The problem is, however, that breast-feeding is of major importance to the child, as well as to the mother. A review of present knowledge about the excretion of antidepressants in breast milk and the reports on the possible effects on the child would be useful, in order to create a qualified basis for decision-making, together with the patient, on whether or not to interrupt the breast-feeding. Furthermore, examination of the references would result in concrete guidelines for the most appropriate way of dealing with the treatment, if it is decided to continue the breast-feeding.