Kaiser Permanente Autism Study
The autism study,
linking the use of antidepressants to autism,
came about because the “prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)
has increased over recent years. Use of antidepressant medications
during pregnancy also shows a secular increase in recent decades,
prompting concerns that prenatal exposure may contribute to increased
risk of ASD.”
The study, published online in Archives of General Psychiatry on July 4,
2011, reveals new research that links the use of SSRI antidepressants
during pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in children.
After examining medical records, scientists found that mothers who take
SSRIs during the first trimester had a 3-fold increased risk of having a
child with autism.
Children born to mothers who took the antidepressant during the second
and third trimesters were found to have a “2-fold increased risk of ASD
associated with treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
by the mother during the year before delivery, with the strongest effect
associated with treatment during the first trimester.”
The same study made no findings that the ASD risk was associated generally with a history of mental health disorders.
Researchers used medical records from the Childhood Autism Perinatal
Study, which was conducted by Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in
Northern California. “Results suggest that exposure, especially during
the first trimester, may modestly increase the risk of ASD,” researchers
concluded, adding that further studies will be needed to replicate and
extend their findings.
Additional Studies Linking Antidepressants to Autism
Celexa-Autism Study
