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Mental health

Taking Antidepressants During Pregnancy: Risks and Benefits

Many people take SSRIs safely in pregnancy, and untreated depression carries real risks of its own. Whether to continue depends on your medication and history — so don't stop abruptly; decide together with your prescriber and OB.

Talk to a clinician

Dr. Naomi Feldman, MD — Perinatal Psychiatrist

Weighing specific SSRI risk profiles against depression history, coordinating with OB, and managing therapy and medication across pregnancy and postpartum. Gale can match you with a licensed clinician for a visit.

Find care →

Why this is a both-sides decision

It is natural to focus on medication risk during pregnancy, but the other side of the scale is real too. Untreated depression in pregnancy is linked with poorer self-care, difficulty attending prenatal visits, and effects on both parent and baby. The question a prescriber helps you answer is not simply "is the medication risky" but "which path — treated or untreated — carries the lower overall risk for you."

What's known about SSRIs in pregnancy

SSRIs are among the most studied medications in pregnancy. For most, the absolute risks to the baby are small, and many people continue them. Some specific medications carry more caution than others, and timing in pregnancy can matter. This is exactly the kind of nuance that should come from your own prescriber reviewing your situation, rather than from a general article — the details differ by drug and by person.

Don't stop abruptly

Stopping an antidepressant suddenly can trigger discontinuation symptoms and, more importantly, a return of depression at a vulnerable time. If you are pregnant or planning to be and take an SSRI, the safest move is to keep taking it as prescribed until you and your prescriber make a plan together. A change, if needed, is usually done gradually and with monitoring.

Protecting wellbeing for you and your baby

Mental health in pregnancy and early parenthood matters well beyond the pregnancy itself. A parent's stability and the early relationship with a child are foundational to that child's lifelong health 12. Treating depression is part of building the safe, nurturing environment that supports both of you 3 — which is why getting the right care, medication or otherwise, is worth the effort.

When a clinician helps

Because this decision is genuinely individualized, a clinician is essential rather than optional. A prescriber — ideally a psychiatrist or a perinatal mental health specialist working with your OB — can weigh your specific medication's risk profile against your depression history, rule out other contributors like thyroid problems, and choose the safest effective option and dose. They can offer evidence-based therapy such as CBT, which may reduce or replace medication for some people, and they coordinate care across pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period when relapse risk is highest.

Common questions

Is it safer to just stop my antidepressant during pregnancy?

Not necessarily — stopping can bring depression back at a vulnerable time. Don't stop on your own; review the options with your prescriber and OB so the decision fits your situation.

Can I use therapy instead of medication?

For some people, evidence-based therapy like CBT is enough, especially for milder depression. A clinician can help you decide whether therapy alone, medication, or both is right for you.

Should I plan this before getting pregnant?

If you can, yes. Discussing medication with your prescriber before conception lets you make adjustments calmly rather than under time pressure.

Talk to a clinician

Dr. Naomi Feldman, MD — Perinatal Psychiatrist

Weighing specific SSRI risk profiles against depression history, coordinating with OB, and managing therapy and medication across pregnancy and postpartum. Gale can match you with a licensed clinician for a visit.

Find care →

If you're struggling now

  • —Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
  • —Feeling unable to care for yourself or get through the day
  • —Severe, persistent hopelessness or panic
  • —Stopping your medication suddenly and feeling much worse

If you have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line) right away, or call 911.

This is general education, not medical advice, and does not diagnose you. Decisions about medication in pregnancy belong with your prescriber and OB.

References

  1. 1.Shonkoff JP, Garner AS; Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health; Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care; Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (American Academy of Pediatrics) (2012). The Lifelong Effects of Early Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress. Pediatrics, 129(1):e232-e246. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-2663 ✓Early parent-child relationships are foundational to a child's lifelong health.
  2. 2.American Academy of Pediatrics (Garner AS, Shonkoff JP, et al.) (2012). Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science Into Lifelong Health. Pediatrics, 129(1):e224-e231. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-2662 ✓Early childhood experiences shape lifelong health, underscoring the value of parental stability.
  3. 3.Garner A, Yogman M; Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Council on Early Childhood (American Academy of Pediatrics) (2021). Preventing Childhood Toxic Stress: Partnering With Families and Communities to Promote Relational Health. Pediatrics, 148(2):e2021052582. doi:10.1542/peds.2021-052582 ✓Safe, nurturing relationships and environments buffer stress and build resilience for parent and child.

3 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice — synthetic demonstration content.