Can antidepressants taken during pregnancy cause cerebral palsy in babies? Current research does not show a direct link between these medications and cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone, often due to brain injury or abnormal development before, during, or shortly after birth. Antidepressants, like SSRIs and SNRIs, are commonly prescribed to treat depression and anxiety in pregnant women, but studies focus more on risks like autism, ADHD, or birth defects rather than cerebral palsy specifically.
Experts weigh the benefits of treating maternal mental health against potential risks to the baby. Untreated depression in pregnancy can lead to poor prenatal care, preterm birth, or low birth weight, which might indirectly raise cerebral palsy risks. One drug label for venlafaxine, an SNRI antidepressant, notes it caused no malformations in animal studies at high doses, placing it in pregnancy category C, meaning risks cannot be ruled out but human data is limited.[2] Large reviews of similar drugs, like SSRIs, track side effects but do not flag cerebral palsy as a concern.[5]
Research on pregnancy medications often looks at other brain-related issues. For example, studies on antipsychotics found no causal link to ADHD or autism after accounting for maternal health factors.[1] Antiseizure drugs like valproic acid show higher ADHD risks, while others like lamotrigine do not.[1] Birth defects news highlights concerns with drugs like valproate for malformations, but antidepressants get less attention for cerebral palsy.[4] Cohort studies in recent journals examine antidepressants alongside antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, but again, cerebral palsy is not mentioned as an outcome.[3]
Cannabis use in pregnancy has been tied to thinking problems and aggression in kids, showing how substances can affect brain development, but antidepressants lack similar findings for cerebral palsy.[6] Overall, no strong evidence from reviews or trials connects antidepressant use in pregnancy to cerebral palsy. Doctors often recommend the lowest effective dose and close monitoring when these drugs are needed.
Sources
https://www.adhdevidence.org/blog-tags/pregnancy
https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=349308ef-2caf-4fec-b428-56ae06c6771d
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/issue/7/11
https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/birth_defects/
https://www.cureus.com/articles/449207-temporal-patterns-of-adverse-events-associated-with-selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-a-global-pharmacovigilance-analysis-of-early-onset-versus-late-onset-toxicity
https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/newsroom/news-releases/research?page=all&hits=380
https://medicine.washu.edu/news/topic/neuroscience/
