In the United States, it is estimated that one in 88 children has an autism spectrum disorder. This means that many children are diagnosed and that it is important to continue investigating to know the cause of the figures being so high.
The last study related to this is the one that I tell you today, in which we have tried to know how it affects the use of antidepressants during pregnancy in the baby, seeing that could increase the risk of having children with autism.
To do the study, the researchers took a sample of 966 mother and child couples, 492 children with ASD, 154 children with other developmental problems and 320 with normal development and the mother was asked about taking selective inhibitor treatments of serotonin reuptake (SSRIs), which are the antidepressants that are usually used in case of depression, anxiety and some personality disorders.
They saw that, in general, there were not many differences, since 3.4% of children with normal development had been exposed to these medications during pregnancy, compared with 5.9% of children with ASD and 5.2 % with other development problems. Although the figures are higher, the results they were not considered significant.
Now, if you took into account the sex of the children, the thing changed. When evaluating changes in boys, they saw that boys exposed to SSRIs had three times more risk of having autism spectrum disorder (2.91 times more) and something else (3.39 times more risk) of having another developmental problem.
In the case of children with ASD, the greatest risk occurred if the mothers took the pills in the first trimester of pregnancy (3.22 times more risk) and in the case of other developmental disorders the greatest risk appeared if the mother took medication in the third trimester (4.98 times higher risk).
Li-Ching Lee, one of the study's authors, says the following about it:
We found that children with autism spectrum disorders were almost three times more likely to be exposed to SSRIs in relation to normal development, and the greatest risk is when exposure occurs during the first trimester ... Treat or not treat depression with medications during Pregnancy is a complex decision. There are many different factors to consider. We do not intend for our study to be used as the basis for decisions about clinical treatment. Women should talk to their doctors about treatments with SSRIs.
And despite the data, the authors have not shown that there is causality between taking medication with antidepressants and the occurrence of possible subsequent disorders. They think that the relationship may exist, since the antidepressants studied cross the placenta, increasing serotonin levels in the fetus (and in the mother). The more serotonin, the less depression. However, it has been seen that one in three children with autism has higher levels of serotonin than normal, and one of the possible causes could be the taking of these medications by the mother during pregnancy, but we talk about hypothesis.
Given that depression during pregnancy, and afterwards, is already a risk factor for the health and life of the baby and the mother, it is important, as Lee says, that The professionals, together with the mother, study the best path to take.
