The children of mothers who took serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) while breastfeeding had IQ scores similar to those of children whose mothers did not take SSRIs, according to a
study published Friday in
JAMA Network Open.
Why It’s Relevant
Though some breastfeeding mothers avoid antidepressants due to concerns over the possible impact on their infants, little research has been done on the association between exposure to SSRIs through breast milk and later childhood cognitive performance, the study authors wrote.
By the Numbers
- The study looked at 97 mothers in the MotherToBaby California cohort who had taken SSRIs in pregnancy: 22 continued taking SSRIs while breastfeeding, 37 discontinued SSRIs while breastfeeding, and 38 did not breastfeed.
- Average full-scale, performance, and verbal IQ scores among the 97 children at age 5 were 106, 104, and 107, respectively (all around the 60th percentile).
- There were no significant differences in average IQ scores between the two groups of breastfed children.
- Children who were breastfed by mothers taking SSRIs had higher unadjusted full-scale (109 versus 103) and performance IQ scores (112 versus 104) than non-breastfed children. However, these differences were no longer significant after adjusting for maternal depression scores and other factors related to maternal mood.
The Other Side
Because the study relied on data previously collected for pregnancy studies, the availability of breastfeeding data was limited. Additionally, the cohort was made up of volunteers and thus may not be representative of the general population.
What’s Next
“These findings are in line with previous studies that have shown positive effects of breastfeeding on child IQ,” the authors concluded. “Based on these results, as well as other studies in the field, we conclude that mothers in need of treatment with SSRIs postpartum may be encouraged to breastfeed without discontinuation of the treatment.”
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(Image: Getty Images/iStock/Anastasiia Stiahailo)