Antidepressants for Postpartum Depression Benefit Children’s Mental Health
Antidepressants for Postpartum Depression Benefit Children's Mental Health
Postpartum Depression: SSRIs and Child Development
If you are a new mom struggling with postpartum depression, taking antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may also bear benefits for your child’s development. A recent study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, in collaboration with their counterparts at the University of Oslo in Norway, has found that SSRIs were associated with behavioral improvements in children up to five years after birth.
Postnatal depression is a common psychiatric disorder affecting 10 to 15% of women in the first year after childbirth. However, in the United Kingdom, only 3% of women with postnatal depression receive SSRI treatment. This is likely due to a lack of awareness of postnatal depression, alongside concerns about the long-term impact that taking antidepressant medications in the postnatal period may have on child outcomes.
The study, which analyzed data from over 61,000 mothers and their children recruited during pregnancy from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study, revealed several positive outcomes associated with postnatal SSRI treatment. These included reductions in child behavioral difficulties, such as conduct problems, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and maternal depression. Furthermore, the treatment also led to improved satisfaction in partner relationships.
Mothers participating in the study were recruited in weeks 17 to 18 of their pregnancy. Out of the total participants, more than 8,600 met the diagnostic criteria for postnatal depression at six months postpartum, and over 170 of these received postnatal SSRI treatment. Maternal depression and child emotional and behavioral difficulties were measured when the child reached ages 1.5, 3, and 5 years. In addition, maternal-reported partner relationship satisfaction was gathered at 6 months, 1.5 years, and 3 years postpartum.
The findings indicated that more severe postnatal depression was associated with higher levels of future maternal depression, poorer partner relationship satisfaction, higher levels of child emotional and behavioral difficulties, poorer motor and language development, and increased ADHD symptoms. However, the SSRI treatment changed the association between postnatal depression and various outcomes. It positively impacted maternal depression at 1.5 and 5 years postpartum, child behavioral difficulties at ages 1.5 and 5 years, ADHD symptoms at age 5, and relationship satisfaction across all measured time points.
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The study, published online in JAMA Network Open, was supported by funding from Wellcome and The Research Council of Norway. Dr. Kate Liu, a research associate at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience and the study’s first author, highlighted the importance of recognizing and treating postnatal depression. She emphasized that the study found no evidence suggesting increased risks for childhood emotional difficulties, behavioral problems, or motor and language delay associated with SSRI treatment for mothers affected by postnatal depression.
“Postnatal depression is underrecognized and undertreated. It’s critical that we view it as the severe mental illness that it is and ensure it is treated properly to mitigate some of the associated negative outcomes in mothers, children, and the wider family,” stated senior study author Dr. Tom McAdams, a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellow at King’s College.
This research presents a significant step towards promoting awareness and destigmatizing postnatal depression. By highlighting the potential benefits of SSRIs on child development and the improvement of partner relationships, it can encourage more women to seek the appropriate treatment. It is important to understand that treating postnatal depression not only supports maternal well-being but also positively influences the long-term outcomes for children and the family unit as a whole.
More Information
For more information on postpartum depression, click here.
Sources: – King’s College London, news release, Aug. 29, 2023
