Pregnancy and Anti-depressants

[peanutpie]

I have been on citalopram on and off for the last few years which has worked really well at helping me remain generally happy and with copable levels of anxiety. I take a dose of about 20mg when I am on it. I took it for depression following miscarriage and then for postnatal depression.

I came off citalopram about 2 months ago. I'm currently about 6 weeks pregnant and not coping very well if I am honest. Does anyone know anything about taking citalopram (or any other AD) while pregnant? My instinct is to avoid taking them but then I don't want to fall really ill again as I have a toddler to look after. I wouldn't want to jeopardise his care.

Thanks.

hi PP,i stopped taking AD when i was pregnant on ds (he is now 5)...but i became depressed and was put back on them. My doc told me that there hadnt been any tests to know the risks,but like you i also had other children to consider and i waited as long as i could before i went back on them at 20 weeks.I was on prozac.

Its a really tough one. I was on prozac with my first and had a tough labour which I subsequently found out can be linked to being on SSRI's.

I really struggled with my 3rd pregnancy but kept off the ad's because of my worry about the labour and alleged difficulties for the baby. But it was a bloody miserable time.

I think if you decided not to go on ad's you need to have other support available - weekly counselling etc. I think a proper discussion with a consultant (not the gp who wont know enough) about the apparent risks of each ad (so for example it may be fine to go on them now and then wean off for the last trimester) would I think be a good idea.