Hi there,
I am currently pregnant with my second (due any day now!). I have a history of anxiety and depression and was on citalopram throughout my first pregnancy (10mg). In my first pregnancy I was advised to come off the drug, but was then diagnosed with pre natal depression and my GP decided it was best I stayed on.
My baby was born with physical limb differences which were picked up at my 20-week scan. This obviously caused a huge amount of extra stress throughout the remainder of the pregnancy and I stayed on the citalopram. I was seen by a whole raft of consultants who all unanimously agreed that it had nothing to do with the citalopram and was just one of 'those things'. Having met many more parents in the same situation -none of whom were on citalopram - I agree with the veredict.
However, despite knowing this I still felt I couldn't continue to be on the drug during my second pregnancy. As you have come on here asking it shows the lack of clarification there is out there on this particular drug - there just isn't enough research into it to prove that it's safe. As soon as I found out I was pregnant for a second time I stopped my 40mg dose cold turkey. As a previous poster has said DO NOT ever stop cold turkey. It led to a total mental breakdown for me that lasted the whole of the first trimester! My GP and mental health team are all quite keen for me to go back on citalopram (which should be reassuring for you!) but are luckily respecting my decision to stay off.
I am better now from the initial cold turkey shock, but there's no denying that I could really - really - do with being back on my citalopram! However, I've put other strategies in place. I am under the care of my local Perinatal Mental Health Team, who've offer anxiety workshops etc, I'm also doing an online hypno-birthing course.
It is such a tough decision and it's made all the more difficult when anxiety and depression are involved. As I said, I chose to come off for my own peace of mind - being on the anti anxiety drug was, ironically, going to make me way more anxious!
If you're still unsure you could look into trying something like Sertraline, which has had more research done into its usage during pregnancy and is generally considered the safest anti depressant to take during pregnancy. I didn't go down this route as I knew that citalopram worked for me and I didn't want to mess around with something else due to my experiences in my first pregnancy. However, I have two friends who did switch to Sertraline during pregnancy and after and found it really helpful.
As much as we with anxiety might want definitive answers, unfortunately where something like citalopram is concerned you just won't get them as there isn't enough information available. You may find GPs suggesting to take it for your own mental health (like mine do) but you won't find a medical professional who will guarantee to you that it is definitely safe. I found that lack of certainty really difficult to reconcile with which is why I chose to come off it. But the nature of everyone's anxiety is different and for me that was a trigger.
Best of luck with whichever decision you make, I really don't think there is a right or a wrong answer, there is only the best choice to make for you. For everyone who tells you to go drug free there will be another who tells you 'happy mum = happy baby'. So it really has to be a decision that you are comfortable with given the information available.
If you haven't already, speak to your midwife about your perinatal mental health team and other supports available to you as well. Good luck!