Help - citalopram 16 weeks pregnant

[ollie131]

Sorry if there is already info on this on here but I am fairly inexperienced with mumsnet and waned to see if anyone can help me with some advice.

I am 16 weeks pregnant with my first child. I was taking 10mg of citalopram for anxiety disorder for and a year and a half but weaned off when I decided to start TTC. I have managed to get to 16 weeks without them but am really struggling now and want to start back on 10mg. I felt so much better on them before but am finding the decision to start them so hard as I am worried and feel guilty about the effects on the baby. The GP says its safe but I am struggling to find much research on them.

Does anyone know if they can cause deformities or hearing loss or problems with brain development etc etc? I know about side effects after birth but GP says would be so minimal on 10mg anyway. I think because of my muddled state of mind I am finding the decision even harder.

Can anyone help please?

My doctor told me that Citalopram was ok while you were pregnant, but that you shouldn't breast feed while you are taking it.
10mg is a small dose too - if I were you I would relax and take them to help you cope with your anxiety.

I took them all the way through and upped them to 30mg after DS was born - he is a lovely chilled out gorgeous healthy boy - relax there arefar worse meds poeple have to take and it is worse for your bubba for you to be perpetually stressed. Good luck and congratulations.xxx

Hi Ollie131,
well, first of all 10mg is a TINY dose. My idiot GP was horrible to me about being on 20mg of paroxetine when pregnant, and told me i had to go to the consultant - who promptly told me that my doctor should have known better and that such a low dose is fine. I cant tell you that citalopram is ok in pregnancy, -as i havent done the research, bit as its such a small dose and your GP seems to think its fine, then i wouldn't worry about it. I CAN, however, put your mind at rest about breastfeeding. This is a verbatim quote from teh Breastfeedign Network Drug Information Pack. All of their info is referenced to research contained in the British Medical Journal, or "Medications in Mother's Milk" or the American Academy of Paediatrics Policy Statement.

"Citalopram has a half life of 36 hrs and reaches a peak after 2-4hrs. The milk plasma ratio has been estimated to be 1.16 - 3 which suggests that the drug concentrates in milk. The metabolite enters breastmilk in low levels and at a normal daily intake would produce 0.7 - 5.9% of the maternal dose. There is one report of an infant exhibiting 'uneasy' sleep patterns on a maternal dose of 40mg per day. This resolved when the mothers dose was reduced. There are also two reports of excessive somnolence, decreased feeding and weight loss in breastfed infants. In studies no adverse effects on teh babies were noted. If the baby shows less than expected weight gain it might be prudent to discontinue the drug and change to another SSRI."

In other words, your dose is so small, and your baby woudl only get at a maximum of 5% of your dose, that breastfeeding should be ok. If you find your baby isnt putting on enough weight (but please dont go by the normal growth charts - make sure they are the charts for breastfed babies!!) then ask to change your meds. BF is so good for both you and the baby that you need to consider whether the tiny risk is worth sacrificing all that BF has to give you both.

FWIW im on citalopram at the mo (20mg) and have been bf my son (28mo).

If you are really concerned then ask to see a consultant, which will put your mind at ease.
Take care of yourself