Antidepressants in pregnancy do not raise children’s risk of autism or ADHD, study finds

The study analysed data from 37 existing studies that included 600,000 pregnant women who had taken antidepressants and 25 million women who had no antidepressant use during their pregnancies Photograph: Posed by model; d3sign/Getty Images

Taking antidepressants during pregnancy does not increase the risk of children going on to develop autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an analysis of more than half a million pregnancies.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong and published in the Lancet Psychiatry, analysed data from 37 existing studies that included 600,000 pregnant women who had taken antidepressants, and 25 million women who had no antidepressant use during their pregnancies.