Newer antidepressants in pregnancy

There has been lots of research on the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in pregnancy but much less is known about more recently-introduced anti-depressants such as venlafaxine, mirtazapine, mianserin and reboxetine. A study of 732 women in Sweden who used the new drugs in pregnancy looked at the kinds of people who took them and their effects on their pregnancies and babies. The study found that the women who used the new antidepressants were older, were more likely to have been having their first child, were heavier smokers, were heavier and were more likely to be native Swedes. They were more likely to have premature births and their children were more likely to suffer from symptoms such as breathing difficulties, poor health, hypoglycemia and convulsions.

Lennestal, Roland and Kallen, Bengt - Delivery outcome in relation to maternal use of some recently introduced antidepressants Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology December 2007, 27(6), 607-613