Primal Health Databank: Study

Entry No:0172
Title:Neuro-development of children exposed in utero to antidepressant drugs
Author(s):Nulman I, Rovet J, et al.
Reference:New Eng J of Med 1997; 336: 258-63
Place of Study:Toronto, Canada
Abstract:The authors studied the children of 80 mothers who had received a tricyclic antidepressant drug during pregnancy, 50 children whose mothers had received a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (prozac), and 84 children whose mothers had not been exposed during pregnancy to any agent known to affect the fetus adversely. The children's IQ and language development were assessed between 16 and 86 months of post natal age. The conclusion of this study is that in-utero exposure to either tricyclic antidepressant drugs or seratonin reuptake inhibitors does not affect IQ, language development, or behavioural development in pre-school children.
Keyword(s):antidepressant drugs, intellectual development, IQ, language development, neuro-development, prozac
Discussion:It would be useful to examine these children after puberty. Many events of fetal life may have long term consequences which cannot be anticipated before puberty. See for example 0034, 0035, 0155 and 0175, 0176
See Also:0034, 0035, 0155, 0175

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