The taking antidepressants during pregnancy does not decrease milk production, according to results of a study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia conducted a study with 3,024 women who gave birth to a premature baby between 2004 and 2008 to understand the impact on breastfeeding of taking antidepressants.
There is no link between antidepressant and decreased lactation
The results of the study do not provide evidence between prescribing serotonin reuptake inhibitors – a class of antidepressants – in the last trimester of pregnancy and an increased risk of decreased breast milk production.
“Unlike psychiatric illnesses not treated with medication, taking antidepressants has not been associated with an increased risk of taking domperidone, a drug that stimulates milk production, “said lead author Dr Luke Grzeskowiak, University of Adelaide, Australia
“Decisions about antidepressant use and breastfeeding can be difficult, but these findings support continued antidepressant use in this critical period of mother-child bond.”
In 2004, researchers from the University of Adelaide previously concluded that women should continue to take their antidepressant medication during pregnancy and thefeeding with milk. Scientists believe that the health benefits of prolonged breastfeeding outweigh the possible effects of antidepressants.
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