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Letters |

Safety of Antidepressant Medications During Pregnancy

Daniel L. Sontheimer, MD; Adrienne Z. Ables, PharmD
[+] Author Affiliations

Phil B. Fontanarosa, MDDeputy Editor: IndividualAuthor
Stephen J. Lurie, MD, PhDFishbein Fellow: IndividualAuthor

Copyright 2000 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. Applicable FARS/DFARS Restrictions Apply to Government Use.

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JAMA. 2000;283(9):1139-1139. doi:10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-283-9-jlt0301
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To the Editor: The pharmacologic treatment of depression during pregnancy presents a therapeutic dilemma for physicians. Prospective data are sparse and decisions regarding which agents to prescribe are made based on retrospective reviews and anecdotal reports. The review by Dr Wisner and colleagues1 of the pharmacologic treatment of depression during pregnancy is a welcome synthesis based on prospective data regarding pregnancy outcomes for women treated with antidepressants. However, their discussion of pharmacologic agents used in the treatment of depression is limited.

Wisner et al based their review on only 4 studies, all of which relate to the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) during pregnancy. Other agents are briefly mentioned, but the authors state that prospective data are lacking. However, bupropion has had a pregnancy registry in place since September 1997.2 This registry follows bupropion exposures prospectively and accepts retrospective reports of anomalies and adverse events. As of February 1999, 30 pregnancies exposed to bupropion have been registered, with 12 outcomes documented thus far.2 This is particularly relevant information for the clinician, since bupropion has a manufacturer determined pregnancy rating of B, which may make it appear safer to use in pregnancy. Additionally, data are available on 100 pregnancy outcomes of patients who received trazodone during the first trimester.3 Finally, there is limited information on the pregnancy outcomes of patients treated with venlafaxine during the first trimester.4 Although these sources of information did not meet the authors' criteria for inclusion for review, they should have been briefly discussed for completeness.

REFERENCES

Wisner  KL, Gelenberg  AJ, Leonard  H, Zarin  D, Frank  E. Pharmacologic treatment of depression during pregnancy. JAMA. 1999;282:1264-1269.
 Bupropion pregnancy registry interim report. Research Triangle Park, NC: Glaxo Wellcome; May 1999.
Briggs  GG, Freeman  RK, Yaffe  SJ. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 5th ed. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins; 1998.
Ellingood  VL, Perry  PJ. Venlafaxine: a heterocyclic antidepressant. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1994;51:3033-3046.

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Wisner  KL, Gelenberg  AJ, Leonard  H, Zarin  D, Frank  E. Pharmacologic treatment of depression during pregnancy. JAMA. 1999;282:1264-1269.
 Bupropion pregnancy registry interim report. Research Triangle Park, NC: Glaxo Wellcome; May 1999.
Briggs  GG, Freeman  RK, Yaffe  SJ. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation. 5th ed. Baltimore, Md: Williams & Wilkins; 1998.
Ellingood  VL, Perry  PJ. Venlafaxine: a heterocyclic antidepressant. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1994;51:3033-3046.
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