In the world of medicine there are many beliefs of what women should and should not do during

Several environmental factors have also been suspected of attributing to the cause of autism such as: exposure to infectious disease, heavy metals, phthalates and phenols, pesticides, alcohol, illicit drugs, advanced maternal age, maternal bleeding during pregnancy, maternal medications used during pregnancy and maternal stress (Glasson et al., 2004). The research conducted by Glasson et al., (2004) shows that individuals who were later diagnosed with autism were more likely to have experienced obstetric difficulties during pregnancy, labor, delivery and neonatal period. Advanced maternal age was the strongest finding in that study.

Segre, A. R. (n.d.). Perinatal Depression: A Review of U.S. Legislation and Law. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3725295/

There was a case-controlled study that was performed using data from the pregnancy registry in Quebec. It showed the some doctors prescribed the woman the antidepressants to help with their depression and moods. There was one woman whom had a psychiatric disorder before the study took place. The antidepressant exposure was shown according to the months of the trimesters of use and what type of antidepressant they took. The infants born small for gestational age cases showed that the infants with a birth weight less to the tenth percentile following the Canadian charts. There were also, the relative risk took into factor. They were changed and shifted due to possible confounders.

There are several different antidepressants. Different antidepressants can affect the body in different ways. There are a few antidepressants that have been deemed safe for breastfeeding women. Some of those antidepressants include Paxil and Zoloft. Studies have shown that those antidepressants are not detectable

According to two recent studies, 7-13% of all postpartum women suffer from depression. Even more alarming, the prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) in mothers who have pre-term infants rises to 30-40% according to a recent review (Robertson E, Grace S, Wallington T, Stewart DE., 2004; Schmied V, Johnson M, Naidoo N, et al., 2013). Mood and anxiety disorders, specifically PPD, are severe, yet common complications in women of reproductive age. Undertreated depression in postpartum women is associated with health risks for both the mother and infant, making the goal of euthymia a top priority in the care of postpartum women. Current practice regarding PPD focuses on the triad approach of early detection and prevention, the use of pharmacotherapy, and the use of psychotherapy. However, the treatment of mental illness during pregnancy requires weighing the benefits of pharmacological treatment for the mother, to the risk of the medications on the growth and development of the fetus as well as the theoretical risks associated with undertreated depression. However, many studies are showing that the risks of postpartum depression to both the mother and infant significantly outweigh the risks of pharmacological treatment during pregnancy. Also, due to the ethical issues surrounding trials of pharmacotherapy during pregnancy, further research to determine evidenced-based methods of treatment are still necessary. The most important intervention to date is a

Do they believe that antidepressants are safe? Do their studies give results that were now shown in the ones claiming that antidepressants are harmful? Let’s evaluate some of these claims. What I found is most of their claims is that antidepressants used during pregnancy do not cause birth defects, but nothing about the increased risk of aggression, suicide, or other problems that could be caused by their use. The first study I discovered was ‘No increased risk of autism, ADHD with prenatal antidepressant exposure, study indicates’ done by the Massachusetts General Hospital preformed earlier this year. The researchers looked at the medical records from three Massachusetts health care facilities, and found “no evidence that prenatal exposure to antidepressants increases the risk for autism and related disorders or for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)” (Massachusetts para 2). They had stated that even though there was an increase in autism and ADHD incidences when antidepressants were taking taken during pregnancy, it was concluded that “antidepressant exposure during pregnancy did not increase the incidence of either condition” (Massachusetts para 1). They believe that antidepressants were believe to cause these conditions, were actually due to those researchers failing to take into account the difference “between mothers who take antidepressants and those who don’t, in particular that those taking

In order to estimate unadjusted and adjusted relative risks of ASD connected to antidepressants in mothers before labor a unconditional logistic regression analysis was done. The connection between case, control status or the exposure is likely to show a connection between autism and antidepressants if it meets the criteria of 1 or more than they are considered to be covariant. In logical models mothers were selected and their mental health was

The antidepressants actually affect the mother as well as the child. “Given that the benefits of antidepressants overall, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors including paroxetine specifically, during pregnancy is questionable at best, any increase in risk—small or large—is too high,” said Dr. Bérard. (Daigle par. 3) Researches have actually found that everything the mother takes passes through the placenta, giving more risks to the medicine affecting the child in the womb. The placenta is a flattened circular organ in the uterus of pregnant women that nourishes and maintaining the fetus through the umbilical cord. That's why a mother will need to watch their own diet and what they take, it could really affect their child's future, and their own. All of the medications you take during pregnancy can affect you and your child. You have to be careful of what you put in your mouth while you're carrying a child. Some research associates use of citalopram, fluoxetine and sertraline with a rare but serious newborn lung problem (persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn) when taken during the last half of pregnancy. (Mayo Staff Clinic par. 1) Other possible risks of more rare birth defects are being studied further. A decision to use antidepressants during pregnancy is based on the balance between risks and benefits. Overall, the risk of birth

In terms of public health and associated concern, in the recent years it has been observed that mental illness has major impact on pregnant women and postpartum period which has become a concern of public health lately. The aspect that associated with pregnancy of women and their mental health that has brought this topic in the forefront is the fact that mental health problems like depression and anxiety have the probability to impact women twice as compared to men. The severity of the situation seen from a global perspective, shows that depression is one of the major reasons of maternal mental illness during the childbearing age of women, which is approximately between the age group of 18 to 40 years. As a result of this to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) it contributes approximately 7% of the entire GBD for women of all age group (Leham, 2015).

The current methods of treatment for postpartum depression include antidepressant medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants, and/or psychotherapy. However, there is a certain amount of risk when taken during pregnancy and lactation. These medications are a pregnancy category C and SSRIs, have been shown to have a slight risk of heart and lung birth defects (Reefhuis, Devine, Friedman, Louik, & Honein, 2015). In breastfeeding mothers, all psychiatric medications are secreted in breastmilk, and some

The main argument being made is that some antidepressants can cause birth defects, the article provides us with a study to help prove this. The study looked at data on more than 38,000 women who had given birth in 1997-2009 and compared what the mother’s antidepressants are and the child’s number of birth defects (Neighmond, 2015). One concept or idea that ties into child development is epigenetics, where the environment influences or alters gene expression (Berk, 2018), which makes me wonder if in some cases the child being exposed to an environment of a depressed mother, it may cause some genes to alter. This also ties into the concept of passive gene environment, where parents who are genetically related to the child set up the environment

Children of women diagnosed with PostPartum Depression are likely to have other problems (speech/growth delays, behavior problems, etc.)

recently watching CBS news where they were talking about the study of too much folic acid in pregnant women could be linked to autism. However, they noted the type of research conducted and how the results are still premature. Yet, even with the fear that a child could be born with autism they instructed that pregnant

approved psycho-medications the soon to be mother must take into account that if they do get pregnant and continue the usage of medication it can potentially endanger the growing fetus (Medscape). Another factor women have to consider is the increased risk of relapse or heightened severity of symptoms because of the excess hormonal releases that happens during pregnancy. While every woman deserves the gift of motherhood it can be difficult

A mother who struggles with depression post-partum is likely to expose her baby to more harmful effects. Gerhardt (2015) states that the baby of a depressed mother can find it difficult to cope with or get over stress, or they may be more fearful (p. 21). These babies also may respond to others with depression themselves, as their mother may be neglectful in their care (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 36). One of the reasons for this is because of their cortisol levels, which can fluctuate situationally. However, in infants this can affect their development (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 83) as well as their immune system (Gerhardt, 2015, p. 118), and is evidence that a mother with depression can have a significant impact on her child well beyond when the depression occurs. Additionally, Gerhardt (2015) notes that, “When they grow up, these babies of depressed mothers are highly at risk of succumbing to depression themselves.” (p.