Maternal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor intake does not seem to affect neonatal platelet function tests

Recently, concerns have been raised regarding the potential impairment of neonatal platelet function and the potential risk of bleeding in neonates born to mothers treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Our aim was to test whether the platelet function of neonates born to SSRI-treated mothers was impaired when compared to non-SSRI-exposed neonates. In a single-center prospective study, platelet function was evaluated using a cone and platelet analyzer (CPA) device and compared between mother-infant pairs as well as normal non-SSRI-exposed infants. Twenty-seven SSRI-exposed and 27 non-SSRI-exposed full-term neonates and their 23 mothers were tested. No correlation was found between SSRI exposure among either neonates or mothers and parameters of surface coverage (SC) and average size (AS), manifesting platelet function as tested by CPA. SC was similar among SSRI-exposed babies as compared to those in the control group, whereas the size of platelet aggregates (AS) was higher among controls. Neither maternal diseases nor SSRI intake were associated with impaired platelet function and lower SC values, nor were any perinatal conditions. None of the babies suffered from bleeding. We conclude that maternal SSRI therapy does not impair whole-blood CPA-tested platelet function of healthy full-term neonates.