Amanda Seyfried has really opened up since she had a baby girl this March. She recently chastised mom-shamers for judging mothers for both nursing and formula feeding. (Most of her quotes were about breastfeeding, so I assume she got some negative comments for that.) Then, in a story we didn’t cover, she was on a pregnancy podcast when she admitted that her pregnancy was “accidental” and that she told her then-boyfriend, Thomas Sadoski, she was expecting by reading him an abstract poem. He didn’t understand what she meant, said the poem was nice and then she had to spell it out for him that she was pregnant.
In part two of that podcast, Dr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy, Amanda revealed that she continued to take her antidepressant, Lexapro, while she was pregnant. She said it was a very low dose and US has some quotes from doctors who state that it’s usually OK for expectant mothers to continue to take certain anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications, as long as they are monitored by a doctor.
“I didn’t get off my antidepressant. It’s really for anti-anxiety for me,” she revealed during a recent appearance on Dr. Berlin’s Informed Pregnancy. “I’ve been taking Lexapro for years and years and years, and I didn’t get off of it. I was on an extremely low dose.”
She added: “A healthy parent is a healthy kid.”
Seyfried, who is married to Life in Pieces actor Thomas Sadoski, was diagnosed with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) when she was 19. “It would take me a really long time to put my clothes away int he drawers,” she told labor doula Elliott Berlin and his cohost Kacy Byxbee. “And it’s all about organization and if it doesn’t feel right you have to keep moving until it feels right, keep moving things around until they feel right. I have a thing with numbers, which is really common.”
Taking antidepressants during pregnancy is a highly-debated topic in the medical field. “They may be associated with an increased risk of babies born with a serious respiratory disorder, but the increased risk appears to be less than previous research has suggested,” Chicago-based Ob/Gyn Dr. Jessica Shepherd tells Us Weekly. “With expecting moms we discuss the risks and then determine if the risk outweighs the benefit. If they have severe depression and anxiety, then meds are needed.”
Reproductive endocrinologist Jaime Knopman agrees. “For years the medications used to treat anxiety and depression were not used during pregnancy for fear surrounding their potential side effect profile,” the NY-based doctor tells Us. “We now believe it is more harmful for a woman who suffers with anxiety and depression to be off of medications then on them. The negative emotional impact untreated psychiatric conditions can have during pregnancy can be worse than the potential impact of medications.”
I don’t currently take antidepressants but I’ve seen friends try to get off of them and it can be incredibly difficult. I think this is OK, US’s experts say it is, and it’s also admirable for her to talk about it and help take away some of the stigma. Amanda has been open about the fact that she suffers from OCD and anxiety and that she’s on medication for that. In fact she’s said she’s not ever going to get off Lexapro. It’s rare for celebrities to admit that they have mental health issues for which they’re medicated, although a scant few have talked about it. She’s committed to being open about that part of her life, and I like that about her. Amanda is also smart. She knows what to share on social media so she doesn’t look thirsty or give the mom-shamers any bait. She also hasn’t posted any photos of her baby daughter or told us her daughter’s name. Her disclosures are very calculated.
Who’s a good boy?! Finn better be getting plenty of attention now that he has a little sister.
Photos credit: WENN and Instagram/Amanda Seyfried
Thanks for the picture of Finn!
What type of dog is Finn? He looks like my baby.
Australian kelpie/Collie cross
I had a dog who could have been a body double for her dog. He was a rescue and vets most often guessed that he was Australian shepher, collie (or lab?) mix.
He was a show-stopper beauty, but so darn head-strong.
Agree with her so much – mental health struggles are a bitch. There is no shame in taking care of yourself. Healthy mums are more equipped to raise healthy babies. It’s time we stopped talking about anti depressants like they are a dirty little secret.
You know, you are right. I am not really judgy when it comes to other moms for the most part, but I felt judgy when I read the headline. We do have to take care of ourselves in order to be good to our children. And I need to adjust my attitude a bit and be grateful that I don’t have the struggles that some others are faced with.
yep, I’ve tried to taper off my anti-depressants (an ill-advised practice for people with depression, but we’re stubborn), and the side effects, even at a very slow taper, were dreadful. If she got pregnant suddenly, the magnitude of going cold turkey off meds she’d been on for years could cause incredible distress or even harm to both her and the baby. And pregnancy itself is an anxious time, especially for those prone to anxiety and depression.
I went off mine cold turkey during my second pregnancy and it was unbelievably awful. I went on immediately after birth and didn’t breast feed. My doctor was like well maybe you could try not taking them etc. I was like NO WAY, give me my meds back. Anxiety and depression are real things just like any other disorder. Would you ask a diabetic to maybe try not taking their meds??? We have come a long way, but need to go way further with mental health education and treatment.
I am diabetic and that’s the analogy I always use when people are apologetic about their mental health. Just because your health problems manifestate differently from mine doesn’t mean you should be ashamed of taking care of yourself.
I’m so sorry, homeslice. That sounds terrible! Sending hugs. I know it’s “over” but traumatic pregnancy/birth experiences stay with us a long time. 🙁
Considering how many ppl are suffering from depression or anxiety or both, we should really focus on the issues not judge others.
I know some women are “okay” when they’re pregnant because of the increased hormones and excitement of being pregnant and then as soon as they give birth they have to go back on meds. Personally if I ever have children, I probably won’t be able to completely go off my meds. My depression and PTSD has such a big effect on my life that even at the highest dose I still have suicidal thoughts.
Coming off meds is extremely difficult as well. I’m currently a student and when I was in between jobs and only in school part-time (therefore I couldn’t be on my mum’s health plan) I kept it a secret that I couldn’t afford my cymbalta for a few weeks and honestly I felt like I was going to die. My life was a mess and my body felt so out of order.
What bothers me about the “controversy” is that it’s not debated among doctors, just non medical lay persons. So many people believe pregnant women need to just “suck it up” and not take so much as an Advil while doctors largely agree that if the benefit to the mother outweighs a measured risk to the baby, it’s a worthwhile risk to have a stable and present mother. I stayed on Lexapro during my surprise pregnancy and second pregnancy because of anxiety and depression before, during, and after my gestation periods. My doctors and I determined it was less of a risk to myself and both my babies to stay on the medicine than suffer withdrawal or to expose the fetuses to the unchecked hormone surges caused by my anxiety attacks.
Yes, why is this headline acting like she was a bad mom or that it was a controversial decision, as judged by medical professionals? This just further makes moms who are depressed afraid or too anxious to seek medical help. I almost didn’t take Zoloft when breastfeeding because I thought it would harm my baby. I followed my doctors’ advice (that would be my OB, my PCP AND my daughter’s pediatrician) and took it around 5 months pp. I stayed on it for a year…and in my experience, it was not hard to wean off. So, if you think you might have PPD, please talk to your doctor. Medication can help significantly!
Yes, this should not even really be a story. There is nothing controversial about this at all. I’ve taken Zoloft off and on and I was off it I became pregnant. Midway through pregnancy I became super anxious about EVERYTHING. I talked to my therapist who suggested going on a low dose with my OBs approval. She said it was safe in pregnancy and nursing. My OB said she thought it was a great idea. It was not even remotely controversial or debated. I took it the rest of pregnancy and about 6 months into nursing. It really helped me. Anyone who is judgmental about this should be ashamed of themselves. I’m sorry but it really amazes me what people will say about the decisions of a person about their own health in consultation with their doctors.
I used to take Lexapro for some anti-anxiety issues as well, my doctor informed me that I didn’t even have to have my blood levels monitored because it wasn’t going to affect my liver or kidneys or anything like that, it basically regulated the serotonin levels in my brain, nothing else. It really made a difference in my life when I struggling. Kudos to her…she’s right a healthy parent is a healthy kid!
Lexapro saved me from PPD. I think it is awesome she is open about these things.
I think about my worst moments with anxiety and I just know it would be worse for a baby in womb to have a mom in that emotional state than for her to be on a small dose of medication. I know the mom shamers will be out in force against Amanda, but I think she did the right thing. And she’s brave as hell to discuss it. Good for her.
I stopped taking Ativan, which is something I use on occasion when my anxiety is off the hook, while pregnant.
If I had been told it was safe I would have continued to use it on occasion. Bad anxiety days plus pregnancy were a real bitch to deal with, and I had to do a lot of work to maintain a level of calm, and wasn’t a very affective person on certain days.
I don’t blame her one bit for continuing, since she was told it’s safe enough. Just because you get pregnanct doesn’t mean you are no longer a complex person with your own health needs.
Ativan is a benzo and they are addictive as hell. It was smart to stop taking them while pregnant. I read that Lexapro which is an antidepressant as well as a drug for anxiety and is not harmful to the baby while breastfeeding. It seems as though there are more people getting medicated for anxiety than there are that don’t. Epidemic proportions, especially Xanax and klonopin. Mother’s little helper. *Not suggesting people with anxiety disorders shouldn’t get help, just not overdo it*
Your aside at the end does not negate how judgementAl your comment is.
Benzodiazapines are very dangerous, and actually make anxiety worse over time…
There is a difference between taking an ssri and benzos.
If someone I care about takes benzos, I would want them to be fully informed of how it works in the brain, long half-life, potentially fatal withdrawal.
just not overdo it?
Suffering from clinical depression is a humbling experience and anyone who has survived the dark place depression and anxiety takes you would never judge nor doubt a person who wants to manage it with prescriptions.
Even though I think you are judgmental (telling people who experience depression which it appears you have not, to not “overdo it”) you are lucky to have lived to this point without experiencing that dark place in your mind. I mean, this type of thing can kill people. It is not fun and really can overshadow years and years of your life if you can’t get it under control. If they need 10 mg of lexapro to get them off the edge, more power to them!
OK, I am a doctor (psychiatrist, but did rotations in all the basic fields). Ativan should not be avoided if at all possible during pregnancy. I would never recommend it. I actually don’t like it or prescribe it if I can avoid it. But that is me and that is my opinion only. Any decision about medications and pregnancy should be between the woman and her doctor. Lexapro is generally considered fine during pregnancy, but I wouldn’t recommend going over the smallest therapeutic dose necessary, BUT a therapeutic dose. She and her doctors did the right thing. Anxiety and stress is really hard on the baby.
“Ativan should not be avoided…”
Don’t you mean should be?
That’s okay, just wanted to point it out.
ativan has literally saved my life during an extremely bad episode.
yes, “should be,” not “should not be.” Thank you!!! Ativan can be wonderful for some, and I don’t have as much of an issue as using it short term as I do of using it long term, I’m just leery of it from the experiences of some of my patients. As I said before, that is my opinion and my opinion only. Everything should always be between a doctor and patient and if something works, it works.
I wish I could tolerate anti-anxiety meds, I’d love to have that option. Especially when my kids were little. In my last trimester the midwife told me to drink an occasional glass of wine to relax. I was confronted a couple of times by busy bodies. And one acquaintance told my husband “If that was my wife drinking while pregnant I’d slap the glass out of her hand.” People need to mind their own business.
A friend of my daughter’s was publicly shamed by someone in a restaurant like that. Worst thing, she wasn’t even pregnant…she never wore that dress again…
BAHAHAHA
Magnesium is best for anxiety. Its deficiency causes anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and lots of other things.
I like her, not interested in this story but that lipstick is on point
I can’t stop looking at that close-up of her. STUNNING.
Chanel used to have a color like that. It was called Vamp. I loved it.
I’m glad she’s talking about this. When I decide to have kids, I will have to stay on at least one antidepressant to avoid going absolutely f*cking crazy. I don’t know how I would handle pregnancy without them. I’d be scared for me and the baby’s health if I just went off my meds. Anyone criticizing Amanda can fuck right off. If you do not understand why a woman would stay on certain drugs while pregnant, you very obviously do not know much about brain chemistry and the effect going off those drugs would do.
Hmmm so was she pregnant before they got engaged? I know he left his wife for her but wonder if that helped cement his commitment to her & helped the transition from gf to fiance/wife?? Don’t care about the headline as mentally healthy moms make better moms/happy kids… what’s the big deal. I’m here for the gossip!!!
I came to the comments expecting gossip on her admitting pregnancy wasn’t planned, lol. I’m sure absolutely no one is surprised by that news, especially her, accident my ass! I lost a lot of respect for her, and him. It’s obvious they cheated and he left his wife for her, at least have the decency and respect to wait awhile before getting knocked up and remarried. If rumors are true she followed him and his wife out of the country so they could continue their affair while they were on vacation, which I find pathetic. But, she has an adorable dog and I give her points for loving animals!
I think it’s important to have these discussions because most people operate under “NO DRUGS DURING PREGNANCY”. Which is fine if you can go that way. But way too often pregnant women are scared/shamed into enduring certain things during pregnancy because they or even their doctors are not up to date. Or because everyone around them knows best.
So often people don’t want to accept that every pill you take, whether pregnant or not, is a matter of risk vs. benefit. I know some who take ibuprofen like Tic Tacs. That is not healthy either but nobody says anything. Pain meds in general. So suddenly for pregnant women that doesn’t apply because it’s the baby above all else. It’s just not necessary.
I once had someone tell me I shouldn’t take insulin while I was pregnant. And she would never put her baby at risk like I was. True story.
I know antidepressants are okay with a doctor’s approval, but does anyone know about smoking? This girl in my office is a chain smoker…like every hour she gets up to smoke. Literally every. Single. Hour. We call her smoky behind her back. Anyway, when she was pregnant she didn’t stop smoking. She didn’t even cut back. I went outside to the smoke area (it’s beside one of the building’s exit) and she was 9 months pregnant huffing away. I found her disgusting, I’ll admit that. How can you subject your innocent unborn child to your selfish bad habits? Isn’t it bad for the child? Doesn’t it cut off oxygen? Long story short, from the grapevine I heard her doctor gave her the okay to continue smoking. I find that hard to believe. My doctor hates smoking so much he’ll suggest remedies if you say you have a habit. Every doctor is different though and I have to assume her doctor is a smoker. Oh and now the baby 2 years later has asthma and respiratory problems…I wonder why? Anyway, sorry for my rant lol, but does anyone know any validity to this? That smoking is okay while pregnant?
My doctor told me that it’s important not to smoke after 14 weeks.
It’s certainly not considered OK. Smoking while pregnant can lead to lower birth weight, doubles the risk of premature birth, and is a considerable risk factor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Additionally, it CAN cause development of respiratory issues for the baby. I find it highly questionable that her doctor would ever advise it.
Thanks! I knew I wasn’t imagining that! We literally learned this information in health class back in high school! I just was dumbfounded when I was told her doctor advised it. Her “doctor” IMO is immoral to suggest such a thing.
I doubt her doctor said it was OK. If he/she did, wow… how irresponsible.
A friend of mine is a chain smoker like your colleague and the doctor told her that if she was unable to stop (i.e. too nervous and suffering from withdrawal) she should just try to cut back. The theory behind it being that if it drove her crazy it would be worse for the baby.
And so she did not stop, did cut back but once in a while I would see her smoke. It was very very off putting but she told me she was incapable of stopping. It actually made her very sad and I felt for her although it irked me to no end to see her smoke.
Her little girl is healthy and well and quite intelligent. I am not saying that she did well, but most kids from my generation had smoking mothers while my mum never smoked much. I had respiratory problems and lots of people my age don’t. You never know, life is a lottery. Don’t be harsh on people. Smoking is an addiction like any other and I see my friend still struggling, unable to stop.
It is an addiction. Not healthy but maybe she couldn’t deal with leaving ciggies… i know it not right and there are risks but its her baby. Do not be harsh on her cos addiction is not just medications or drugs or alcohol. It also nicotine and sugar and coffee and many other things
> maybe she couldn’t deal with leaving ciggies…
Oh for god’s sake.
I was a chain smoker, was taking chantix and was just at the part where you stop the cigarettes when I discovered I was pregnant. (Had been told I was not able to get pregnant due to previous surgery so gave up birth control because I was old and a smoker) Stopped Chantix immediately and was prescribed Wellbutrin. And I took it.
You know what…my psychiatrist and OB both agreed that not only is Lexapro considered low risk during pregnancy, the choice as practitioners for medications while pregnant is the lesser of two evils. I had depression with my first pregnancy and took nothing. I had depression with my second pregnancy and started Celexa (same class as Lexapro) during the last trimester with much guilt. I ended up with severe post-partum depression and ended up in the hospital for a week…as in the psych ward. My third pregnancy…we were on Lexapro from day one. Lexapro is in a class of anti-depressants that has been around for decades and watched closely during pregnancy. While it does carry risk, it’s relatively low and generally considered safe.
I’ll take not risking my or my children’s health over not taking my anti-depressant any day. I’ve tried living without it outside of pregnancy as well. I’ve done years and years of counseling. I have a master’s degree in mental health counseling. I’d love to live without medicine to manage my mental health but it’s just not safe for me.
I like lexapro more than celexa personally. Life saver. The doctor who I was working with then went to a concierge based practice and I’ve had a hard time finding a mental health practitioner that understands me ever since!
I’m glad she’s talking about it so openly. That’s what we need to do.
On a completely superficial level, her hair is magnificent. So shiny and silvery blonde. Maybe she’s a secret Targaryen princess.
I had postpartum OCD (a form of postpartum depression) after my first child and it was so awful that I actually considered going on anti-anxiety or depression meds when I was pregnant with my second child in the hopes of avoiding the hell that is the postpartum OCD. I ended up deciding not to although my doctor was supportive (I have anxiety about taking meds thanks to other family members who have had a variety of problems), but no mom or mom-to-be should ever be judged for taking those types of meds so long as their doctor thinks it’s safe.
PS Had no idea Lily (she’ll always be from Veronica Mars to me) was married to Matt (love him on Life in Pieces)!
There is virtually no debate in the psychiatric profession about this issue: an SSRI (e.g. Lexapro) during pregnancy is far less of a risk to the baby than a depressed or clinically anxious mother. I’m disappointed in this headline which implies that a sub-therapeutic dose of needed medication is somehow better. It’s not.
Lexapro is an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). The research isn’t there to move it out of the Class C drugs, which means “unknown/unstudied” for pregnancy. However the general opinion of the medical community is that SSRIs pose very low risk to a fetus and the benefits to mothers who need them are HUGE. Depression has been clinically linked to higher risk of low birth weight and preterm delivery. Anxiety/panic disorders, OCD, & bipolar are NASTY diseases that have significant physical symptoms (which absolutely affect babies) and are notoriously difficult to treat. It’s not just a matter of mom-to-be finding a way to be “tough” and make it 9 months without treatment. We would never in a million years expect a diabetic to go without her insulin or other necessary medications for 9 months. It comes down to balancing risk and making a responsible decision for both mother and baby.
I went off my Zoloft cold turkey when I found out I was pregnant after my former a-hole gynecologist said to without any information as to my well being. I listened to him and it was an enormous mistake. My OCD took over my pregnancy and I developed pregnancy psychosis. I went to my psychiatrist who basically saved my life and that of my baby’s by convincing me to go back on the Zoloft. I went to therapy every day, accompanied by my mom as I couldn’t function. I also found a wonderful new gynecologist who was supportive and informed. And my amazing husband also urged I continue to treat my medical condition that skyrocketed in those nine months. Had I not went back on my medication, I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t be here right now with my beautiful baby. People who are blessed to not suffer anxiety/depression should not comment on such matters as there is no way one could fathom what it’s like, especially when pregnancy hormones are involved. Everyone thinks they’re a doctor or that their pregnancy experience is the definitive one and that is so untrue. People need to stop shaming women- especially other women. They also need to stop making bs recommendations like “take a walk” or “do yoga” when in some cases a person needs the medication before such zen activities even have a chance at working.
“People who are blessed to not suffer anxiety/depression should not comment on such matters…”
This. All day.
I’m bipolar and want to get pregnant, but my dr. says there are risks in going off my mood stabilizers and antidepressants. I wish more than almost anything that I did not have this illness, and I envy those who don’t’ have to struggle every day not to succumb to something that takes up so much of their thoughts and freedom.
If possible find a doctor who is experienced with this and can work with your psychiatrist and therapist. Like a Ksenia baby team. Someone close to me has bipolar too and she has children but she had a team to monitor and work together so that her moods were stable with safe medication. She was careful with nutrition and exercised daily along with plenty of sleep and rest. Her babies are healthy and she is a great mother, she just needs some support sometimes just like anyone with a health concern.
Don’t let it hold you back. Her doctor said calling it mental illness is false it should be called a brain disorder so that people understand what it is without a stigma.
If you want this don’t let bipolar rob you or make you think you can’t be a good mother. That is not true. You just need a little extra care but so do asthmatics or diabetics. Good luck
The judgersons will judge everything anyway so you may as well make yourself happy.
+100000
I stopped taking Lexapro when I decided to try to get pregnant and after the MONTHS of near-debilitating withdrawal I was suffering and unable to manage my life due to crippling anxiety AND depression. The depression was new and had been taken care of by the Lexapro, as I had been on it for years. I finally found a great therapist and psychiatrist who convinced me to take Zoloft, based on the fact that it is slightly older and has a little more research data available. It was ENTIRELY the right thing for me. I really struggled with the decision but once I got back on an SSRI I very quickly realized I didn’t have a choice. I wouldn’t survive without it. And I am really glad I’m medicated because I am going through some serious shit in my life right now!
IF anyone else is or has been in this situation, you can be okay. Go get help and forget about anyone who would judge you for it. Your health is more important than that.
Drinking alcohol and smoking are optional activities. But medication for medical disorders is not in the same category.
It’s important to realize that such disorders are all physical. We just call problems that affect the brain and therefore our behavior “mental”, but that’s a misleading distinction. The brain is a physical organ also. You wouldn’t tell a Type 1 diabetic to just take a walk to compensate for pancreas dysfunction…
I would suggest getting a second opinion whenever a doctor tells you to go off medication you need for a chronic condition. My uncle got a rash and the doofus dermatologist told him to stop
taking his seizure medication. Didn’t clear up his rash, but he had a doozy of a grand mal seizure for the first time in many years.
I took Zoloft for a long time in my 20s and it was helpful. Life got better and I stabilized; under a doctor’s care I went off for about 4 years. I got married and a few years later, we started trying for a baby.
I now have a 3.5 year old and an 8 month old. I wasn’t on medication when I finally got pregnant with my older girl, but life handed me a very nasty set of circumstances during that same time (my dad was diagnosed with terminal lung/brain cancer the month I conceived) and I really lost it. I remember sitting in my then-OBs office bawling about his impending death, and saying how scared I was to take meds during my pregnancy but also how terrified I was to not and have my stress levels affect the baby. He told me that women during the Holocaust had healthy babies and I would be fine, stress doesn’t harm a fetus. (I’m serious, he said this and cited a ‘famous study’ that I never found any info on). I switched doctors but I never got the courage to ask again for the Zoloft.
My dad died when I was 7 months pregnant, my mom lost her house, and in full grief, moved in with us – and then I had a traumatic birth/full term NICU baby. Life was hard, period. I ended up with AWFUL post-partum depression and anxiety – and because of that one doctor I refused help when I needed it most.
I didn’t get help until I lost my second pregnancy/my first kiddo was 2 years old. I went back to therapy to deal with my miscarriage, and went on low dose Zoloft. I was lucky to also get pregnant right after this and had a much better experience with my third pregnancy. When she was 4 months old, I upped my meds a bit when I went back to work and my stress levels went up. I have been breastfeeding successfully the whole time, she’s happy and well adjusted as an infant. I’m a better mother.
This HAS to be talked about. Period. I needed help that I didn’t get because of fear and shame, despite years of being medicated and engaging in therapy.
I applaud Amanda for talking about this.
Lexapro has been a godsend for me in my life. I have bouts of debilitating anxiety. However, I recently had to come off of it because it was having an adverse effect on my immune system. It was a bummer, but so far I have been feeling good and managing without meds almost a year. Exercise, stress management and only moderate alcohol use have been the keys to my success. But I’m at the mercy of my brain chemistry and that is a hard reality, but I have fall back medicines if I find myself in crisis unexpectedly, which is how my anxiety seems to work. Good luck to all of you living with mental illness. It is not for the faint of heart.
Look up the link between anxiety and magnesium deficiency. I take lots of magnesium, it’s helped tremendously.
Magnesium and calcium. Make sure both are good.
Also look into hypnosis, which can really help some people.
I did really well on Lexapro for my depression due to my bipolar disorder. Having PTSD as well, it helped with flashbacks, too. It can truly help people when it works, and there is no shame in getting help. Best wishes!
I am glad she is speaking out. Someone who is suffering may read what she said and get help without guilt. Mothers are harshly judged for everything even self care. I hope we can all push back on this and support each other with this issue so that no woman is left isolated and ashamed to get help.
While everyone can make their own decision, I would never be on an antidepressant while pregnant and I’ll tell you why:
My brother used to work for a well known hospital in the neurology department. Specifically, they studied autism. They were asked to do a clinical study on a popular antidepressant, which they did. Not even halfway through the study, there were clear indications that the particular antidepressant was linked to autism. Linked so much that the manufacturer stopped the study so that the results were never published. And my brother told me that if ever I wanted to have children, to stop taking my antidepressant at least six months prior to doing so. (He is no longer with the hospital any more, nor does he still work with austistic children. He was published in the field for coming up with a new at-home therapy, among other things.)
No, I don’t know which antidepressant it was. But that was enough to stop me, and I do tell the story so that other women can make their own choice. Yes, as Amanda said – a healthy parent is most important. I just implore women – and their partners – to try to find another way if possible. (I was not told if they also looked at the link if the man was taking an antidepressant, but I do know that sometimes that matters, too.)
Best wishes everyone!
It is this exact second hand information that crippled me into believing my treating myself would hurt my baby. I would google and find anecdotes like yours and go insane with fear and obsessive worry. Women need to only listen to their psychologists and their physicians. I’m sure you did not mean sharing this story to cause harm but speculating without any details, nor being the person who was part of said experience, really is detrimental to someone who is pregnant and struggling. Yes, discussion on these issues is important, especially when pregnant women are expected to go without pretty much anything they may need, but your comment is destructive. I remember researching posts like yours until 5 am trying to fill in the missing data and it almost killed me. Unless you are a professional, unless you were instrumental in the study, then please refrain from sharing such stories. Thank God my son and I are absolutely healthy, but there could be another pregnant woman reading your post and it could be the deciding factor in not getting the help she and her child need.
Love that dog!