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A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
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Published on: September 22, 2023

Breastfeeding and antidepressants.

Tiffany Field1

  • 1Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016820, Miami, FL 33101, United States.tfield@med.miami.edu

Infant Behavior & Development
|February 15, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Breastfeeding is less common in mothers with postpartum depression, despite infant benefits. Concerns about antidepressants are a factor, but untreated depression may pose greater risks to infants.

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Area of Science:

  • Perinatal mental health
  • Infant and maternal health
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Breastfeeding offers significant benefits to infants.
  • Postpartum depression (PPD) is associated with lower breastfeeding rates.
  • Maternal concerns about antidepressant transfer to infants influence breastfeeding decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the impact of maternal postpartum depression on breastfeeding.
  • To examine the presence of antidepressants in infants breastfed by mothers using these medications.
  • To discuss the comparative risks of antidepressants versus untreated depression in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on breastfeeding and postpartum depression.
  • Analysis of available data on infant serum levels of common antidepressants.
  • Discussion of alternative therapies for maternal depression.

Main Results:

  • Breastfeeding is less prevalent in mothers with postpartum depression.
  • Sertraline and paroxetine are generally undetectable in infant serum, while fluoxetine and citalopram show detectable levels.
  • Current data is limited by small sample sizes and uncontrolled study designs.

Conclusions:

  • The risks of untreated maternal depression on infant development may outweigh the risks of certain antidepressants.
  • Breastfeeding benefits for both mother and infant could potentially exceed antidepressant benefits.
  • Further research is needed to establish optimal treatment strategies for depressed, breastfeeding mothers and their infants.