SSRIs linked to fetal heart defects

Children of women who take SSRIs in early pregnancy are at an increased risk of septal heart defects, although the absolute risk remains low, an international study finds. The study of nearly 500,000 children found that taking any SSRI in early pregnancy was associated with twice the risk of a fetal septal heart defects compared to non-exposure. Exposure to more than one type of SSRI increased this risk to four-fold, the researchers wrote in the BMJ. The association was strongest with sertraline and citalopram but not with paroxetine or fluoxetine. However, the authors noted that the absolute differences in heart defects were low. For example, septal heart defects occurred in 0.5% of unexposed children, 0.9% of SSRI exposed children, and 2.1% of children exposed to more than one type of SSRI....