Antidepressant use during pregnancy unlikely to increase risk of asthma in offspring
A
recent study investigated whether use of prenatal antidepressants
raised the risk of asthma in the offspring. The cohort study identified
more than 733,600 children born in Denmark between 1996 and 2007.
A recent study investigated whether use of prenatal
antidepressants raised the risk of asthma in the offspring. The cohort
study identified more than 733,600 children born in Denmark between 1996
and 2007. Of that number, 84,683 children were diagnosed with asthma,
and 21,371 were exposed to prenatal maternal depression (with a
diagnosis of depressive order or use of antidepressants 1 year before or
during pregnancy). Nearly 8,900 children were exposed to
antidepressants in utero. The hazard ratio (HR) for asthma after any
antidepressant use during pregnancy was 1.00, compared with children
born to mothers with prenatal depression and no antidepressant use
during pregnancy. The researchers determined that the HR after use of
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors only was 0.95, while the HR
after newer antidepressants only was 1.11 and it was 1.26 after older
antidepressants only. The findings, the researchers report, indicate
that "antidepressant use during pregnancy in general did not increase
the risk of asthma in the offspring among women with depression, with
the exception of use of older antidepressants."
