Decision a bout using antidepressants during pregnancy is multifaceted and requires the assessment of several variables. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn is one potential adverse effect to be considered. There has been a controversy about the association between the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant during pregnancy and the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). After delivery, there is relaxation of the blood vessels in the lungs of the infants; whereas in PPHN there is continuation of the resistance in the pulmonary vasculature even after birth, which leads to poor oxygenation.
Krista et al. (2015) conducted a study to understand this association. The researchers enrolled 378,9330 pregnant women from two months or lesser after the last menstrual date to minimum one month post-delivery. They concluded that…
