The new study adds to the medical literature linking pregnant women’s use of antidepressants to possible harm to their newborns. Citizens Commission on Human Rights encourages women to discuss any concerns with their prescribers.
-- A new study has linked mothers’ use of antidepressants with lower levels of nutrients in their maternal milk, which could negatively affect infant growth and present health risks for breastfed infants, according to the researchers conducting the study. The researchers reported that while the mothers’ average nutrient levels were still within normal range, some individual samples had much lower levels of some nutrients.
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) says the new research adds to the medical literature indicating the possible harm of antidepressants to pregnant women and their babies and encourages patients to discuss any concerns with their prescribers.
Noting that breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of an infant’s life because of the protein and other nutrients in mother’s milk, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, collected and analyzed milk samples to determine if the mothers’ use of antidepressants or other prescription drugs altered the nutrient levels in maternal milk. Researchers wrote that the study, published in JAMA Network Open, was the first to investigate the association of prescription drugs with the composition of human milk.
In samples of maternal milk collected from 63 mothers using SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressants and 20 mothers using other types of antidepressants, researchers found that protein levels on average were 15% and 21% lower, respectively, than in samples from mothers not using the drugs. The average levels of carbohydrates, fats, and total energy in the milk indicated less effect.
The researchers reported that nutrient levels were still within a normal range, though some individual samples had “concerningly low levels” of some nutrients. They advised that further research was needed to rule out other factors that could impact nutrient levels.
The study adds to other research indicating potentially increased risks from the use of antidepressants during pregnancy. Recent research has indicated that pregnant women’s use of antidepressants is significantly associated with a higher risk of adverse birth outcomes, such as pre-term delivery, low birth weight, and admissions to neonatal intensive care units, irrespective of the type of antidepressant prescribed and the duration and trimester of use of the drug. Prenatal exposure to antidepressants is also associated with newborns experiencing neonatal withdrawal syndrome, which one study found to occur in 30% of newborns exposed to SSRI antidepressants in the womb.
The rationale for prescribing antidepressants – to correct a supposed chemical imbalance in the brain – has been questioned by researchers who conducted a comprehensive review, which for the first time integrated all relevant research, to evaluate whether scientific evidence supported the theory that a low level of the brain chemical serotonin caused depression. They concluded it did not.
“The serotonin theory of depression has been one of the most influential and extensively researched biological theories of the origins of depression,” the researchers reported. “Our study shows that this view is not supported by scientific evidence. It also calls into question the basis for the use of antidepressants.”
The Citizens Commission on Human Rights encourages patients to discuss any concerns about the risks of antidepressants with their prescribers, as well as to discuss potential evidence-based alternatives.
Anyone wishing to discontinue or change the dose of an antidepressant is cautioned to do so only under the supervision of a physician because of potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms or other complications.
About the company: The Citizens Commission on Human Rights was co-founded in 1969 by members of the Church of Scientology and the late psychiatrist and humanitarian Thomas Szasz, M.D., recognized by many academics as modern psychiatry’s most authoritative critic, to eradicate abuses and restore human rights and dignity to the field of mental health.
Contact Info:
Name: Anne Goedeke
Email: Send Email
Organization: Citizens Commission on Human Rights, National Affairs Office
Address: Washington, DC
Website: http://www.cchrnational.org
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ufOUHeS-ZY
Release ID: 89151317
In case of identifying any problems, concerns, or inaccuracies in the content shared in this press release, or if a press release needs to be taken down, we urge you to notify us immediately by contacting error@releasecontact.com (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our dedicated team will be readily accessible to address your concerns and take swift action within 8 hours to rectify any issues identified or assist with the removal process. We are committed to delivering high-quality content and ensuring accuracy for our valued readers.
