Sertraline & Pregnancy?

[JourneyToParenthood]

Hi All,

I'm around 4 weeks pregnant (awaiting a private scan at 7 weeks to ensure everything is ok!).

I suffer with anxiety, particularly health anxiety, and I take 50mg of Sertraline a day and have done for a while - it's totally transformed me. My GP confirmed that I could still continue to take it if I felt I needed it and that it's generally one of the SSRI's that they would prescribe to pregnant women. However, she also said that in an ideal world I would be on no medication throughout pregnancy and I could try and wean myself off it.

Has anyone got any experience of taking Sertraline whilst pregnant? I want to do what is best for the baby but I also feel that the risk of the impending anxiety if I come off Sertraline would be worse than anything else for him/her.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks

Hi, I was on Sertraline for 5 years. I started TTC in October and weaned myself down to half 50mg tablet a day, then every other day, then eventually only half twice a week. I fully stopped in February. When speaking to my GP they advised to be off it completely.

I'm 10 weeks along now. It was really hard dealing with anxiety of TTC and then first few weeks of being pregnant, I was so worried and without the crutch of Sertraline.

However I have realised that Sertraline really didn't make me that better thinking about it, and I'm actually OK without it.

Most people will have absolutely no issues whatsoever. My son had withdrawal from Sertraline at birth, so I’ve come off it in this pregnancy. They’ve said it’s a less than 1% chance of it happening once, nevermind twice, but although it’s harmless, it did mean we were kept in the hospital for 5 days last time, and I really, really want to avoid that if I possibly can.

I am also on sertraline and 18 weeks pregnant now; I was told it was fine to take during pregnancy so don’t worry! They did say I would need more regular growth scans in the third trimester but I have underlying health issues so it may be to do with those over the sertraline. Congratulations!

I took sertraline during all 3 of my pregnancies- my GP and obstetrician said it was fine.

Please remember that your (mental) health is crazy important. In an ideal world, no would would need any medication or have any health issues. If your medication improves your condition, take it!!!! No one would say the same if you needed regular meds for a physical condition.