Sertraline at 30 weeks pregnant

[CheeseBiscuitsChutney]

After refusing anti-depressants for my entire pregnancy so far - I ended up having a total meltdown in front of my consultant yesterday, leading me to be admitted for psychiatric evaluation today. I am 30 weeks pregnant, first baby. Wonderful, stable partner and tried for pregnancy.

Reason for meltdown is being extreme anxiety over the baby’s health and safety. Terrified of stillbirth or neo natal death. I have a history of anxiety, and I’ve struggled with the fear of something going wrong since I got the positive test.

As I am not considered a risk to myself or baby I’ve been allowed to come home with a daily mental health assessment for the next few weeks - but they have strongly recommended I go onto 50mg Sertraline.

Whilst I know it’s important I am well mentally and physically for baby; as you can imagine I am now in a moral battle with taking the medication as I am terrified it may have an adverse on baby and I’d never, ever forgive myself. It feels so selfish that baby has to suffer because I cannot get my mental health together.

Anyone taken Sertraline in pregnancy? Honest stories please

I took sertraline throughout my pregnancy it's had no effect on DS. After the birth we had to stay in hospital for 72 hours for him to be monitored.

I’m so sorry to hear about your anxiety regarding your pregnancy. Originally I felt the same until I started talking therapy which gave me great coping mechanisms and allowed me to talk over my anxiety regarding my pregnancy and helped me endlessly. Would this be an option for you too?

@Goldenbunny great to hear and thanks so much for sharing x

@Hotfudgebrownie I’m just being on boarded to perinatal team for additional therapy and support, including post partum too. Have always found therapy to be a huge help.

Unfortunately I had asked for additional support at my booking scan (now 22 weeks ago!) and at several appointments since but I essentially fell through the cracks somehow x

I haven’t taken sertraline but took fluoxetine all thru ttc and pregnancy and I have a healthy 3 month old baby. I weighed up the pros and cons and my GP wrote to pharmacy and perinatal team for advice. To not have continued to take fluoxetine would have bit me high risk for PND and could have made me feel very unwell. Your baby needs a healthy and happy mummy. I believe you can also breastfeed on sertraline too. Making medical decisions in pregnancy is incredibly hard. Sending love

Vomiting constantly with setraline - and slept literally all day! Another person I know had it the same. I had to stop.

I would advise counselling, lots if you need it! Anything to avoid taking that at 30 weeks. I don't know how I'd have coped being that far along and taking that.

Best of luck xxxx talking therapy really does help as above poster said x

I took 75mg sertraline throughout my whole pregnancy. DS2 was born 2 weeks ago and is perfectly healthy, had to stay in hospital for 24 hour observations where they checked him every 4 hours.

I believe it’s due to the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. The risk in most babies is 2 in 1000 and that just goes up to 3 in 1000 if on medication. My midwife said that the risk is so small that she was happy for me to refuse monitoring and go straight home if I wanted.

I was told that sertraline one of the safest SSRIS to take during pregnancy/ breastfeeding. Could you have a chat with gp/ midwife about your concerns?

@Snoringmonkey

I took 75mg sertraline throughout my whole pregnancy. DS2 was born 2 weeks ago and is perfectly healthy, had to stay in hospital for 24 hour observations where they checked him every 4 hours.

I believe it’s due to the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. The risk in most babies is 2 in 1000 and that just goes up to 3 in 1000 if on medication. My midwife said that the risk is so small that she was happy for me to refuse monitoring and go straight home if I wanted.

I was told that sertraline one of the safest SSRIS to take during pregnancy/ breastfeeding. Could you have a chat with gp/ midwife about your concerns?

The hospital I give birth in wouldn't let DS leave for 72 hours he was monitored every 4 hours during the stay. So the length of stay after will depend on the hospital. I asked about discharging us and they said they would not discharge the baby but would discharge me. DS was fine nothing wrong with him it was a bloody waste if 72 hours. At a different hospital when I had dd we only had to stay for 24 hours and I was taking sertraline then too.

I am nearly 22 weeks pregnant and have been taking 50 mg sertraline throughout pregnancy. I started taking it about a year ago for similar anxiety to you OP along with panic attacks. It has made such a difference to my life and keeps anxiety in check and I have no panic attacks. Every professional I have spoken to (recurrent miscarriage clinic, gp and perinatal mental health midwife) are all of the opinion that I should remain on it and it is safe to breast feed with it too. It is the safest ssri in pregnancy and the perinatal mental health midwife has never observed any adverse effects in any babies from sertraline. I agree with them and firmly believe if you look after yourself first, you can do the best for your baby. You may experience side effects for a few weeks (I had dry mouth, headaches and it made things feel a bit numb down below, but these subsided after a while and I feel so much more in control of any anxiety that creeps in now. Just makes things seem clearer and easier to put into perspective. This is only my experience but hopefully it helps.