Allison Bryant, MD, MPH reviewing Boukhris T et al. JAMA Pediatr 2015 Dec 14.

Risk for autism spectrum disorder appeared higher with use of antidepressants during late pregnancy; but was untreated depression a confounder?

Given the increase in prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), much attention has turned to understanding associations and potential causes of these disorders, with particular interest in perinatal exposures. Canadian investigators used data from a population-based registry to explore associations between maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy and ASDs in offspring.

Among >145,000 term singleton infants, 0.7% had at least one diagnosis of ASD between birth and the end of the follow-up period (mean, 6 years). Mean age at first diagnosis was 2 years. After accounting for measured potential confounders (maternal sociodemographic characteristics, history of maternal psychiatric and physical conditions, and infant characteristics), maternal antidepressant use during the second or third trimester was associated with increased risk for ASD in offspring (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–3.0). Risk was most pronounced for women who used selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors rather than other types of antidepressants, and the findings persisted when the population was restricted to mothers with histories of depression.

Citation(s):

Boukhris T et al. Antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder in children. JAMA Pediatr 2015 Dec 14; [e-pub].

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