Study Suggests Link between SSRIs and Childhood Autism

Washington, DCA new study suggests a link between SSRI medications and autism, the latest in a long line of studies with conflicting results on the topic. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of antidepressants, but some studies suggest they are linked to childhood autism when expectant mothers take them. Other studies have not found a link, and researchers involved in the latest study recommended caution when reviewing their results.

The most recent study was published in December 2015 in JAMA Pediatrics (from the Journal of the Medical Association). Researchers from Quebec set out to study whether there was a link between antidepressant use during certain trimesters and children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. They studied infants born between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2009, which included 145,456 infants born in Quebec. Antidepressant exposure was then broken down by the class of antidepressant and the trimester in which the antidepressant was taken.

Researchers found that antidepressant use during the second and/or third trimester was linked to a risk of autism spectrum disorder, while use of an SSRI during second and/or third trimester was significantly associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Researchers noted that the risk could still be found even when a maternal history of depression was factored in.

In all, 4,724 infants were exposed to antidepressants prior to birth, with 4,200 exposed in the first trimester and 2,532 exposed during the second and/or third trimester. Of those who were exposed in the first trimester, 40 were diagnosed with autism, while 31 of those exposed in the second/third trimester had a similar diagnosis.

“Use of antidepressants, specifically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, during the second and/or third trimester increases the risk of ASD in children, even after considering maternal depression,” researchers concluded, before noting that further research would be needed. They also note that the overall number of children born with autism was small.

Drugs included in the SSRI class include Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. Although there have been studies that suggest use of SSRIs during pregnancy contributes to birth defects, there are also studies that suggest no link exists. It is also possible that other environmental factors play a role in the development of autism. Past studies, for example, suggest a history of depression in the family may increase the risk of autism. Women who have depression and are pregnant should not stop taking antidepressant medication without consulting their doctor.