sertraline 50 mg in pregnancy

[gemmumm]

hi i went to docs this morning as my anxiety has come back with a vengance she has put me on 50mg of sertraline a day im 16 weeks pregnant and ive googled it and its made me feel worse about taking it i know i need it but im worried the harm it will have on my baby when hes born. please help!!

I have been taking sertraline for 13 years and took it throughout my first pregnancy and am now taking it during my second pregnancy. I have been told by a psychiatrist that the most risk is during the first trimester and even then the risks are small (but do exist). You are past this stage so that main period of risk has passed. There are also some risks associated with breathing difficulties and withdrawal at birth but I have been told that at a dose as low as 50mg this risk is minimal (I have managed to reduce my dose to 50/75mg during the pregnancy) and that these problems can be dealt with effectively if they do occur.
I think you need to bear in mind that anxiety is awful and extremely distressing and can impact every area of your life and that your health as a pregnant woman and when you are a mum is very important to be able to take good care of your baby. It is all a balancing act and you must try not to feel guilty. Your doctor would have considered the risks and benefits and would not have prescibed any drug for a pregnant woman unless they believed it was beneficial to you and that the risks were minimal.