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Antidepressant use ups risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension
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Use of antidepressants during pregnancy appears to increase the risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension beyond the risk that can be attributed to depression or anxiety disorders.
Researchers used data from the Quebec Pregnancy Registry to compare 1,216 women who had been diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension with or without preeclampsia to 12,160 matched controls. None of the women had a history of hypertension before pregnancy.
Anick Bérard
At least one prescription for an antidepressant was filled by 345 women during pregnancy (3.7% cases vs. 2.5% controls). After adjustment for potential confounders, antidepressant use during pregnancy was associated with a 53% increased risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension (OR=1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.33).
Stratified analyses revealed that the risk for pregnancy-induced hypertension was associated with use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (OR=1.60; 95% CI, 1.00-2.55) and, more specifically, paroxetine (OR=1.81; 95% CI, 1.02-3.23).
“These results are an early indicator or risk attributable to antidepressant drug treatment above that which may be attributed to depression or anxiety disorders in the absence of drug treatment,” Anick Bérard, PhD, of the Université de Montréal and CHU Sainte Justine Research Center, said in a press release.
“This research adds another piece of evidence and shows the importance of fully assessing the risks and the benefits of antidepressant use during pregnancy for the mother and child,” Bérard said.
Disclosure: Dr. Berard was a consultant in the litigation involving antidepressants.
Perspective
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Karla Kurrelmeyer, MD, FACC, FASE
Previous studies have demonstrated that depression is fairly common during pregnancy. This study raises questions concerning the safety of antidepressant medication when prescribed to pregnant women. More research will be required to better define the risk of individual classes of antidepressants when taken during pregnancy. Specifically, future research will need to address whether any of the antidepressants are safe, not only to the fetus, but also to the mother.
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