GP advised I stop Sertraline

[Mellous]

Hi

I'm just over 4 weeks pregnant. I've been taking 50mg of Sertraline on and off for about 2 years (every time I've come off its not too long before I end up taking it again).

Yesterday I had a telephone appointment with the GP to discuss my medication in pregnancy. She advised I stop taking Sertraline as it's 'only for anxiety' (and not depression) and is a low dose. Also mentioned baby could have withdrawal and low blood pressure.

I'm really worried about coming off my medication as it really does help my mood and anxiety. Should I get a second opinion? Has anybody taken Sertraline throughout pregnancy?

Thank you :)

This is against current mental health in pregnancy guidelines. Pretty much all perinatal mental health specialists agree that the benefits outweigh the risks with regards to SSRIs. Withdrawal is not a risk
with sertraline. There is a very small risk of some, usually mild and transient, symptoms after birth. Please phone and discuss with a midwife if you need further reassurance.

I took sertraline the entirety of my first pregnancy with no issues, and no doctors had any concerns, including a specialist in maternal psychiatry.

I was advised to stop taking Fluoxetine early in my pregnancy by a GP and a pharmacist. I did and then weeks later almost had a break down.

After being contacted by a perinatal mental health consultant, I was told that I should have never been taken off my medication and she restarted my prescription there and then.

There is a low chance my baby could have withdrawal, but I've been told I'll be in hospital for at least 24 hours, so they can see if he's okay.

If you don't feel comfortable coming off them you don't need to, and as others have said the guidance is generally that stopping medication is riskier than continuing except in certain cases. I was on fluoxetine before becoming pregnant and have been really down at some points this pregnancy; the GP said they wouldn't put me back on fluoxetine because of the side effects but has prescribed me sertraline (which I haven't started taking as I'm feeling better again). Sertraline is one of the recommended SSRIs for use in pregnancy so I definitely wouldn't feel any pressure to come off, and I think it's bad that the GP advised you did. Maybe get a second opinion from another GP? There are risks with SSRI use in pregnancy but then there are also risks of you becoming unwell after stopping them too!

I read this page after I was prescribed it, I found it linked on an NHS page about anti-depressant use in pregnancy so might be helpful:
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Sertraline/

I took 200mg throughout pregnancy - my psychiatrist, the perinatal mental health team, my midwife and consultant were all happy with it and strongly advised it. Your GP sounds terrible - I'd totally ignore.

I agree with what others have said.
I am currently on antidepressants, the first thing my midwife said was to stay on them. Staying on your medication reduces the risk of post natal depression.
My doctor also commented that the withdrawal effects in babies are rare, and you are just as important as your baby.

Thank you all, this is all really reassuring to hear. I’m going to keep taking the medication. I’ll discuss with midwife once I’ve been referred.

I continued to take sertraline throughout my pregnancy this year. GP advised it and said it was the recommendation that if you are on anti anxiety meds the evidence showed the benefits to the mental health of the mother far outweighs anything else.
My little girl is now 9 weeks and no withdrawal here and no professionals were concerned about withdrawal during pregnancy.

I'm on a high dose of Sertraline and my GP is happy for me to continue taking it throughout my pregnancy. Have you looked at the Best Use of Medicine in Pregnancy website?
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org

You can look up medications and see the latest guidance. I have found it really helpful and reassuring.

If my doctor recommended I come off them then I would and would ask doctor to find me alternative therapy x

This makes me so angry, as a medical professional, a mother and a previous sufferer of anxiety and PND. And I also agree it’s completely against best practice guidelines. I’m sorry your GP has given you poor advice OP, may be worth feeding back to the surgery.

Ask for advice from the perinatal mental health team. They can advice GPs on prescribing even when you don't qualify for referrals. They spoke to my gp before I started trying to conceive to see if they were safe and what the preferred options would be.

I stayed on my medication throughout pregnancy, my medication increased the risk of poor neonatal adaption syndrome (the up to date term for withdrawal) there is a 1 in 10 risk of any new born developing this regardless of whether the mum has been taking medication. We were kept on the postnatal ward for 72h so they could monitor my lo, she scored 0 on every check for poor neonatal adaption syndrome and is now nearly 16 weeks old and thriving.

Bad advice from GP. 50mg isn't even a high amount (not that it would make a difference). I had DD while on sertraline no problems.