14 DAY TRIAL // According to the conclusions of a new study conducted by experts at the Aarhus University, it would appear that medication containing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) does not increase the risk of autism in newborns. Some scientists had suggested that pregnant women should avoid SSRI-based depression medication during pregnancy.
The research found no discernible connection between the use of SSRI antidepressants and the evolution of pregnancies, or the risk of infants being born with autism spectrum disorders from mothers who had used these drugs, Science Blog reports.
“In contrast to other, smaller studies, our survey cannot demonstrate that the risk of having a child with autism is increased by taking antidepressant medication during pregnancy,” says Aarhus researcher Jakob Christensen, PhD, who was a member of the research group.
For the study, the team looked at maternal antidepressant usage for 600,000 Danish children born between 1996 and 2006, the largest study of this type ever conducted. After adjusting for other factors that may cause ASD, researchers found no statistically relevant link between SSRI intake and autism risks in newborns.