Izumi Fujioka1, Hiroshi Ohtsu2, Naohiro Yonemoto3, Kazuhiro Sase4, Atsuko Murashima5. 1. The Japan Drug Information Institute in Pregnancy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan; Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Regulatory Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Japan. Electronic address: fujioka-i@ncchd.go.jp. 2. Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Regulatory Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Japan; Institute for Medical Regulatory Science, Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, Japan; Department of Leading Center for the Development and Research of Cancer Medicine, Juntendo University, Japan. 3. National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan; Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Japan. 4. Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Regulatory Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Japan; Institute for Medical Regulatory Science, Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, Japan. 5. The Japan Drug Information Institute in Pregnancy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan; Center for Maternal-Fetal, Neonatal and Reproductive Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Depression during pregnancy is relatively undertreated; however, the relationship between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and neonatal outcomes remains controversial. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used a Japanese nationwide claims database. Data of 114,359 singletons born between January 2005 and November 2019 were used to evaluate the relationship between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and neonatal morbidity. RESULTS: Of 2892 mothers with a history of depression before delivery, 352 (12.1%) received prescriptions within three months before delivery (MP3), and 2540 did not (non-MP3). The participants were propensity score matched (PSM) in a ratio of 1:3 using logistic regression (MP3_PSM [n = 351] vs non-MP3_PSM [n = 1052]), and maternal prescriptions of antidepressants within three months before delivery were associated with neonatal morbidity indicators, including admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (15.7 vs. 9.1%, odds ratio (OR) 1.9 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-2.6]), poor neonatal adaptation syndrome (6.0 vs 1.0%, OR 6.6 [95% CI: 3.1-14.2]), transient tachycardia (15.7 vs. 6.7%, OR 2.6 [95% CI: 1.8-3.8]), and meconium aspiration syndrome (3.1 vs 0.7%, OR 4.8 [95% CI, 1.9-12.5]). There were no significant differences in the long-term duration of stay at the NICU (>15 days). LIMITATIONS: Confounding factors may remain even after the propensity matching. CONCLUSION: Maternal prescription of antidepressants within three months before delivery was associated with increased admission to the NICU. However, the absolute risk of severe neonatal morbidity was low. Therefore, collaborative care for prenatal depression and the neonatal intensive care is warranted.
BACKGROUND: Depression during pregnancy is relatively undertreated; however, the relationship between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and neonatal outcomes remains controversial. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used a Japanese nationwide claims database. Data of 114,359 singletons born between January 2005 and November 2019 were used to evaluate the relationship between prenatal exposure to antidepressants and neonatal morbidity. RESULTS: Of 2892 mothers with a history of depression before delivery, 352 (12.1%) received prescriptions within three months before delivery (MP3), and 2540 did not (non-MP3). The participants were propensity score matched (PSM) in a ratio of 1:3 using logistic regression (MP3_PSM [n = 351] vs non-MP3_PSM [n = 1052]), and maternal prescriptions of antidepressants within three months before delivery were associated with neonatal morbidity indicators, including admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (15.7 vs. 9.1%, odds ratio (OR) 1.9 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3-2.6]), poor neonatal adaptation syndrome (6.0 vs 1.0%, OR 6.6 [95% CI: 3.1-14.2]), transient tachycardia (15.7 vs. 6.7%, OR 2.6 [95% CI: 1.8-3.8]), and meconium aspiration syndrome (3.1 vs 0.7%, OR 4.8 [95% CI, 1.9-12.5]). There were no significant differences in the long-term duration of stay at the NICU (>15 days). LIMITATIONS: Confounding factors may remain even after the propensity matching. CONCLUSION: Maternal prescription of antidepressants within three months before delivery was associated with increased admission to the NICU. However, the absolute risk of severe neonatal morbidity was low. Therefore, collaborative care for prenatal depression and the neonatal intensive care is warranted.