• When prescribing fluoxetine to treat depression during pregnancy, prescribers should be aware that there may be a small increased risk of congenital cardiac defects in infants exposed in early pregnancy, similar
to that seen with paroxetine
• There are insufficient data to draw conclusions on the risk of congenital anomalies with other SSRIs, but the possibility of a class effect cannot be excluded
• The potential increased risk should be considered in the context of the benefits of treating depression in pregnancy
Readers' comments
This is very useful as many patients I see are worried about the risks associated with SSRIs and pregnancy. To have figures of approximately 2% risk of congenital heart disease is helpful but a greater break down of whether they are minor or serious problems would be even more helpful