Risks of untreated depression in pregnancy
Canadian Family Physician Medecin De Famille Canadien
|March 15, 2014
Summary
Continue advising pregnant patients with depression that untreated depression poses greater risks than antidepressant use. News reports may oversimplify risks and omit expert opinions, potentially harming patients who discontinue medication.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal Psychiatry
- Reproductive Age Women's Health
Background:
- Family physicians often advise reproductive-age women with depression regarding pregnancy risks.
- Concerns exist regarding the safety of antidepressants during pregnancy versus untreated maternal depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address a clinician's query about the evidence supporting advice on untreated depression in pregnancy versus antidepressant use.
- To evaluate the validity of media claims regarding the risks of antidepressants in pregnant women.
Main Methods:
- Review of current evidence on risks of untreated depression in pregnancy.
- Analysis of media reporting practices and expert sourcing in health-related articles.
Main Results:
- No evidence suggests untreated depression in pregnancy is less harmful than antidepressant risks.
- Media articles may present biased information, excluding relevant expert perspectives like perinatal psychiatrists.
Conclusions:
- Clinicians should continue advising pregnant patients that untreated depression can be more harmful than carefully managed antidepressant use.
- Evidence-based guidance is crucial to prevent patients from discontinuing necessary medication due to potentially biased media reports.
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