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Gestational Exposure to Antidepressants and Risk of Seizure in Offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Leung, MTY; Wong, KH; Ho, PWH; Ip, P; Wei, L; Wong, ICK; Man, KKC; (2021) Gestational Exposure to Antidepressants and Risk of Seizure in Offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews , 131 pp. 345-359. 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.040. Green open access

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Abstract

In spite of the preliminary evidence suggesting a link between gestational use of antidepressant and neurodevelopmental disorders in their offspring, the association between maternal use of antidepressants during pregnancy and the risk of neurologically-related adverse outcomes such as neonatal seizure is still unclear. This study summarises the available evidence on the association between gestational exposure to any antidepressants and the risk of seizure in neonates and children. We found that gestational antidepressant exposure is associated with a 2.3-fold higher incidence of seizure in offspring. Although a causal relationship cannot be confirmed in view of other potential confounders, our findings warrant future research on related clinical aspects, and possibly more careful monitoring of foetal neurodevelopment in pregnant women taking antidepressants during pregnancy. However, this does not suggest the abrupt withdrawal of antidepressants during pregnancy for all cases at risk of seizure in offspring as this must be balanced with the risk of negative consequences caused by untreated maternal depression, and decision-making should be individualised for each patient.

Type: Article
Title: Gestational Exposure to Antidepressants and Risk of Seizure in Offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.040
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.040
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Antidepressants, Pregnancy, Seizure, Neonates
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Practice and Policy
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10134801
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