6 June 2018
 Categories: Health & Medical , Blog

Millions of people take antidepressants and other forms of medication to treat anxiety, depression, bipolar, and a number of other mental-health conditions. If you currently take a medication like this and want to get pregnant, you might want to know what you should do about this before you attempt to conceive. Here are several things you should understand about antidepressants and pregnancy.

Will antidepressants interfere with conception? 

A lot of women feel that they should stop taking antidepressants prior to trying to conceive, simply because antidepressants might decrease the potential for getting pregnant. While this might seem logical to you, it really is not the case. Studies completed on this subject show that taking antidepressants will not affect your chances of conception.

It's important to understand that not taking antidepressants if you need them can have negative effects on fertility, though. If you truly need an antidepressant, going off the medication so that you can conceive might have negative effects. People who need this type of medication but do not take it tend to have lifestyles that are less healthy. For example, people in this position tend to smoke more and eat fewer healthy things. Additionally, if you go off the medication and begin feeling depressed, the depression could actually make you less fertile.

Is it better to just keep taking the medication?

If you want to get pregnant or just found out that you are pregnant, you should visit a doctor quickly to find out what you should do about the pregnancy and your medication. In most cases, doctors will recommend continuing to take the medication during the pregnancy, even though there are some risks. In most situations, the risks are very low, and it appears that there can be even higher risks when women stop taking their medication during pregnancy.

One of the top risks you have if you continue taking antidepressants during pregnancy is the potential that your baby will be born with temporary discontinuation symptoms. These symptoms include your baby not eating well, feeling irritable, and having the jitters, but they will typically stop after just one month after the baby is born.

If you are in this situation right now and do not know how to handle it, talk to a doctor that specializes in pregnancy care. He or she can help you make the right decision about your medication. To schedule a visit, contact a pregnancy care doctor today.