Scientists have discovered a slight connection between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and autism spectrum disorder.
Much has been said and written regarding autism spectrum disorder. Some of the most recent studies would suggest that both genetical and environmental factor could be responsible for autism. But there’s another study which would suggest otherwise. Antidepressants used in the third semester might cause autism.
According to a recent report, it would seem that 1 in 45 US children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The new study, which was published in the JAMA journal, may have added another piece to the puzzle.
The study details how pregnant women prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are at risk of giving birth to children who suffer from autism. Although there is no hard evidence that SSRIs are directly responsible for autism, this aspect has managed to raise a lot of questions in the medical community.
Henning Pedersen, a researcher working for the Aarhus University, has declared that there is indeed a slight correlation between SSRI use and autism spectrum disorder, although it may turn out to be yet another goose chase. The medical specialist reinforced the fact that these aspects should be limited within the confines of the doctor-patient confidentiality.
Approximately 13 percent of expecting mother take antidepressants for any number of psychological disorder. Pedersen stresses out that it is very important for a pregnant woman to discuss her case with her obstetrician before reaching a decision. Renouncing the antidepressant regime could ultimately prove to be quite harmful, although many of them come with a label of warning.
Most women are advised against taking antidepressants, especially in the third and fourth semester of labor, as this is the time when the baby’s brain is forming. According to the studies findings, if mothers choose to take SSRIs during the third semester of labor, the odds of giving birth to a child with autism dramatically increases.
In order to see if there is indeed a correlation between the use of SSRIs and autism spectrum disorder, the team of scientists behind the project had to consult a large amount of data.
The data needed for their research was provided by the Quebec Pregnancy Cohort. The scientists have retraced the problem by looking at the health files of over 140000 children, with ages ranging from 1 to 10 years old.
Their conclusion: antidepressants used in the third semester might cause autism. And so could other factors such as genetical background or environmental factors. Again, the study did not manage to state for a fact that SSRIs cause autism, but has rather provided a foundation for other affiliated studies.
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