The Thin End

Women taking antidepressants can be faced with a difficult choice when pregnant.  Many women are reluctant to take medication during pregnancy and feel the need to choose ‘between the drug and the baby’. Data shows that the majority of women stop taking such medicines abruptly on becoming pregnant.  But is this the best approach, particularly when the majority (70%) will relapse on stopping the medication?   So, should women stop taking the medication on becoming pregnant?  Certainly, there isn't a 'one size fits all solution'.  But women need to be supported in whatever decision is made.  This is why professional bodies such as  The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in the UK  recommend a pregnancy management plan worked up for an individual with a multidisciplinary support team.  We need more understanding of the mental health issues involved in a pregnancy.  The consequences of stopping medication can ...