They researched national registries in Nordic countries and looked at data from pregnant women who had been given SSRI prescriptions, from three months prior the initiating of their pregnancy until birth.
In total, there were 1,633,877 such births, out of which, three different outcomes were discovered. These included stillbirth, neonatal death and postnenoatal death.
In comparison to pregnant women not given even a single dose of SSRIs; all those who were given the same during their pregnancy had an inconsiderable 17% increase risk of stillbirth, the results show.
Women exposed to an SSRI presented with higher rates of stillbirth (4.62 vs 3.69 out of 1000) and death after one month but before a year (1.38 vs 0.96 per 1000), than those who did not.
The rate of neonatal death was similar between groups (2.54 vs 2.21 per 1000).
The study authors state that the slightly higher rates are 'insignificant'.
The researchers, from the US and Scandinavia, say the findings from the current study were concurrent with the limited literature on the topic.
They say their study shows that SSRIs are not associated with increased risk of stillbirths, neonatal death or postneonatal death.
But they did warn that decisions regarding SSRI use during pregnancy must take into account other perinatal outcomes and the risks associated with maternal mental illness.
The study has been published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association and can be accessed
here.
