Antidepressants and premature birth

Some studies have found a link between premature births and the use of antidepressants during a mother's pregnancy. There is still a shortage of evidence on this topic but another study by researchers at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto has added to the evidence that there might be a link. The study compared 928 women who had taken antidepressants during their pregnancy with 928 women of similar health and background who had not. It found that 8.8% of the women who had taken antidepressants had had a premature baby, compared to only 5.4% of the women in the comparison group. However, women taking antidepressants were no more likely to give birth to babies who were small for their gestational age or who had a low birth weight.

Einarson, A. ... [et al] - Adverse effects of antidepressant use in pregnancy: an evaluation of fetal growth and preterm birth Depression and Anxiety January 2010, 27(1), 35-38