by Claudia Boyd-Barrett posted in Pregnancy

Taking antidepressants while you?re pregnant probably doesn?t increase your child?s risk of developing autism, new research suggests.
Three studies released this week cast doubt on previous findings that tied antidepressants during pregnancy to a greater risk for autism spectrum disorders in children. The studies, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and JAMA Pediatrics, concluded that other factors -- such as genetics or repercussions from a parent?s mental illness -- more likely account for the increased risk.
The latest research does not definitively answer the question of whether antidepressants during pregnancy might play a role in developmental disorders such as autism. In fact, one study said more research is needed to better disentangle the effects of antidepressant drugs on the fetus from the effects of the mom?s psychiatric condition. However, the studies do provide strong evidence that antidepressant use during pregnancy may be safer than previously thought.  
Here?s a look at the most recent findings:
1. A study of 1.5 million children in Sweden compared risk for autism and other problems among siblings whose moms used antidepressants during one pregnancy but not during another. The researchers, who examined the data from several angles, concluded that antidepressant use early in pregnancy did not increase the risk of children developing autism or attention deficit hyperactivity dis...