Taking Anti-Depressants During Pregnancy May Harm Fetus

Too often we see these wild-eyed critics using illogical arguments to further their real goals.

Like was stated, 'doubling the risk' is a phrase used to shock the listener. Like Caelum, and FOX's guest Dr. Rosenfield before him, points out it is intellectually dishonest to use prejudicial phrases like 'doubling the risk', when the risk was 2 in 10,000, but when the drug is taken, the risk 'doubles' to become 4 in 10,000, or 0.04%.

Doesn't seem all that serious now, does it?

Firstly, note this is only with SSRIs and the risk is elevated to just 0.4% by taking those medications. The risk of suicide by people with depression is over 2% according to a Mayo Clinic study (and some studies estimate has high as 9%, but over 2% is the most accepted figure). Also, risky behavior such as drinking, smoking , or bad diet are much more likely to occur in people suffering from depression - in particular pregnant woman whom are already experiencing a whole host of biochemical issues. Your baby is more likely to come out harmed if you don't take the SSRI due to the self-destructive nature of depression than if you just take the minor risk of taking an SSRI and possibly producing a heart defect.

I'm also a bit skeptical of this study though, for a couple of reason. Chief among them is the fact that this is one study and multiple studies are needed in science (and especially medicine ) to confirm anything, particularly when the statistical significance is quite small like here. Also, there isn't really any biological mechanism to explain why this would occur and, most oddly, this wasn't seen in patients taking Prozac but it was with those taking Zoloft, which behave surprisingly similar in the body so one would expect similar results.