A new study suggests that taking the antidepressant bupropion during the early stages of pregnancy may increase the risk of having a baby with a particular type of heart defect, reports Reuters. Researchers say the risk of the heart defect is small, and they aren’t even sure if the medication is the cause. They estimate that it only affects 2 out of every 1,000 babies born to women who use bupropion during the first trimester. However, the findings “do add to questions about the risks of using antidepressants during early pregnancy,” states Reuters.
Some studies have already connected some antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, to increased risks of certain birth defects. However, in this study, “researchers found that among more than 12,700 U.S. infants born between 1997 and 2004, those whose mothers used bupropion during early pregnancy had more than double the risk of heart defects known as left outflow tract defects, compared with infants whose mothers had not used the drug,” reports Reuters.
Researchers went on to say that pregnant women or women who plan to get pregnant shouldn’t stop taking bupropion, but that they should talk to their doctors.
If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, find an OB/GYN in your area.
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