If you’re pregnant, or planning to be, and managing depression or anxiety, you may be asking: Can antidepressants harm my baby?
A 2025 study in General Hospital Psychiatry suggests that maternal use of SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) during pregnancy may carry risks to the developing fetus that extend into birth and possibly beyond. (1)
While supporting your mental health is essential, this research encourages a closer look at non-medication alternatives like therapy.
1. Why Pregnancy and Mental Health Require Special Consideration
Roughly 20% of pregnant people experience depression or anxiety. (2) But treatment during pregnancy has unique stakes: you’re caring for your own well-being and your baby’s development.
Fortunately, many people can find relief through safe, evidence-based approaches like therapy, without exposing the fetus to potential medication-related harm.
2. What a 2025 Review Article from Reproductive Toxicology Reveals About SSRIs and Pregnancy
Results have found that continued antidepressant use can be associated with:
Fetal toxicity and higher likelihood of congenital deformities:
Some SSRIs may interfere with early fetal development, including organ formation and skeletal growth.
Risk varies by drug, dose, and timing—but early gestational exposure appears most critical.
Increased risk of neonatal adaptation problems:
Babies exposed to antidepressants late in pregnancy may experience breathing problems, feeding difficulties, tremors or jitteriness or need for NICU admission.
These symptoms are usually short-term but can complicate bonding and recovery post-birth.
These findings might point to possible harms that warrant thoughtful, individualized care planning. (1) Obviously more research and larger studies need to be done to further examine these results.
3. Why Therapy Is Often a Safer First-Line Option
Therapy is a safe and sometimes effective treatment that has minimal to no side effects. (3) And unlike medication, therapy carries no risk of fetal harm. Benefits of choosing therapy during pregnancy include:
Reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms
Enhanced stress resilience
Improved sleep, self-esteem, and birth outcomes
Skills that last well into parenthood
4. Types of Therapy Proven Effective During Pregnancy
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
Focuses on managing thought patterns and behaviors contributing to depression or anxiety.
2. Interpersonal Therapy (IPT):
Addresses relationship challenges, role transitions, and emotional expression.
3. Mindfulness-Based Therapy:
Reduces stress and reactivity through present-moment awareness and breathing techniques.
4. Somatic or Yoga-Informed Therapy:
Helpful for trauma survivors or those with a strong mind-body stress response.
All of these can be accessed through licensed therapists, telehealth platforms, or specialized maternal mental-health programs. (4, 5, 6)
5. Making an Informed, Personalized Decision
If you’re already on antidepressants and become pregnant:
Do not stop abruptly, this can cause withdrawal and relapse.
Discuss the risks and benefits with your OB-GYN and a perinatal mental-health specialist.
Ask about combining therapy with a medication taper, if appropriate.
Mental health is not one-size-fits-all, and neither is prenatal care.
7. Key Takeaways
Antidepressants like SSRIs and SNRIs may pose risks during pregnancy, including fetal developmental issues.
Therapy offers a safer and highly effective alternative for many people
If you are already on medication there are safe and effective ways to taper off medication with the support of a qualified psychiatrist
You deserve to feel supported—your health and your baby’s future are deeply connected, and both matter.
Healing is possible. Help is available. And safe mental health care during pregnancy starts with informed choices.
References
Debarshi Sarkar, Souvik Mandal, Srinwanti Bandyopadhyay, Sayan Bose, Jyoti Parkash, Shio Kumar Singh, Use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) during pregnancy: Effect on fetal growth and long-term reproductive outcomes, Reproductive Toxicology, Volume 136, 2025, 108960, ISSN 0890-6238, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reprotox.2025.108960.
Byatt N, Deligiannidis KM, Freeman MP. Antidepressant use in pregnancy: a critical review focused on risks and controversies. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2013 Feb;127(2):94-114. doi: 10.1111/acps.12042. Epub 2012 Dec 14. PMID: 23240634; PMCID: PMC4006272.
Kamenov K, Twomey C, Cabello M, Prina AM, Ayuso-Mateos JL. The efficacy of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and their combination on functioning and quality of life in depression: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med. 2017 Feb;47(3):414-425. doi: 10.1017/S0033291716002774. Epub 2016 Oct 26. PMID: 27780478; PMCID: PMC5244449.
Evans J, Ingram J, Law R, Taylor H, Johnson D, Glynn J, Hopley B, Kessler D, Round J, Ford J, Culpin I, O'Mahen H. Interpersonal counselling versus perinatal-specific cognitive behavioural therapy for women with depression during pregnancy offered in routine psychological treatment services: a phase II randomised trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Oct 15;21(1):504. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03482-x. PMID: 34649534; PMCID: PMC8518253.
Dimidjian S, Goodman SH, Felder JN, Gallop R, Brown AP, Beck A. Staying well during pregnancy and the postpartum: A pilot randomized trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the prevention of depressive relapse/recurrence. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2016 Feb;84(2):134-45. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000068. Epub 2015 Dec 14. PMID: 26654212; PMCID: PMC5718345.
Nadholta P, Kumar K, Saha PK, Suri V, Singh A, Anand A. Mind-body practice as a primer to maintain psychological health among pregnant women-YOGESTA-a randomized controlled trial. Front Public Health. 2023 Sep 12;11:1201371. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1201371. PMID: 37766749; PMCID: PMC10520697
