A review in JAMA Psychiatry argues that treating major depressive disorder during pregnancy should be prioritized, concluding that when the effects of medication are separated from those of depression and its consequences, accumulated evidence suggests selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors carry little or no risk for serious adverse outcomes.
The population boundary matters and is easy to lose. The Special Communication addresses patients with major depressive disorder, a diagnosed psychiatric illness, and examines both SSRIs and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. It is not a statement about everyone who takes an antidepressant during pregnancy for any reason.
