Taking sertraline & just found out I’m pregnant

[Correlation]

Hi all

I have been on sertraline since the birth of my daughter last year. It was a difficult birth, traumatic, and I struggled to feed. All of this combined with lack of sleep and life turned upside down by a baby left me with pretty bad PND. I have just been discharged from the perinatal team who were all supportive of my continuing to take sertraline even if I were to get pregnant again. Well, now I have just had a positive pregnancy test and I’m taking 200mg sertraline. I honestly don’t want to come off it or even reduce the dose as it hasn’t really felt effective until 200mg.

The psychiatrist said she wouldn’t be concerned if I was taking sertraline and pregnant but I just want to know if anyone else has taken 200mg from the beginning of pregnancy and what your experience was? I want to stay well and try to avoid the hell of PND again.

thank you in advance for anything you share

I have been on sertraline for 10+ years. I reduced it down to 50mg when we first started trying to get pregnant. After a miscarriage I went back up to 100mg. I was on 100mg when we got pregnant again. It was a rough pregnancy and by the time he arrived I was back up to 200mg.
Sertaline is seen as one of the safer ones to be on when pregnant and breastfeeding. It is better for mum to be happy and healthy. I definitely could not have handled pregnancy and the newborn days without sertraline. It is a lifesaver to me.

Thank you so much for replying. I hope you are doing well now. I feel the same in that I know I will find pregnancy and especially the postnatal period too difficult without sertraline

Of course, in an ideal world we wouldnt be on it at all. But having a baby is really bloody hard (much harder than I expected) and I think we should take all the help we can.
For me, taking sertraline just takes the edge off and makes everything a little bit easier to handle.
I know some hospitals like to monitor babies when they are born for signs of withdrawal, but nothing like that happened with us.

Yes I think I learnt my lesson from my last pregnancy. I know this time I need support, I can’t just try to carry on alone, suffering. Thanks again for sharing.

Hi I was put on sertraline as soon as I found out I was pregnant - my mental health and hormones were worse than they already were

The benefits outweigh the risks rather you be happy, alive and mentally stable if you ask me.

Only concern with antidepressants are that the baby will suffer withdrawals ( mine did not ) it's the safest antidepressant to take whilst pregnant I think that's what my dr told me anyway

I've been on loads of different ones since because sertraline didn't help at all postpartum

Hope this helps ease your mind x

Thank you for sharing @mamaiscool . I hope you are doing ok now.

My DD had a very emotionally difficult first pregnancy, a traumatic birth and severe PND. She was subsequently prescribed Sertraline and has taken it ever since, including throughout her second pregnancy. It made such a huge difference to her mental well-being.

Thank you @user1474315215 - did your daughter find pregnancy and the postpartum period more manageable the second time round as a result?

It was hugely better! She felt she was able to enjoy it in a way which was simply impossible for her first pregnancy.

That’s great - I’m so glad for her - and very encouraging to hear. Thank you