Two new studies suggest
maternal depression may have more of an effect on children than
had previously been realized.
The first study
found that even though babies born to mothers taking medications
for depression appear to develop normal physically, subtle changes
in their nervous systems may occur. The authors suggest further
research should be done to determine if the benefits of taking
these medications truly outweighs the potential risks.
The second study
discovered that mothers who were depressed were more likely
to have sicker children, not enough food in the home, and to
have reported losing federal benefits such as welfare.
Both papers appear
in the February issue of Pediatrics.
Nearly one in 10
Americans suffers from depression every year, according to the
National Institutes of Mental Health.
"Depression in and
of itself can affect the neurodevelopmental status of newborns.
It is certainly something we need to be concerned about," says
the lead author of the first study, Philip Sanford Zeskind,
director of neurodevelopmental research at Carolinas Medical
Center in Charlotte, N.C.
But, he adds, doctors
and parents also need to be concerned about potential side effects
from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly
used antidepressants. Zeskind explains that past research has
concluded these medications are safe to take during pregnancy
because they don't cause physical developmental problems, such
as low birth weight or preterm birth.
However, such measures
of an infant's health are an "antiquated" way to assess the
development of a baby's nervous system, he says.
"When your car isn't
working well, your mechanic can open up the hood and see that
all the parts are there. But if he doesn't turn it on to see
how the engine runs, he's a terrible mechanic," Zeskind explains.
What researchers need to do is "turn the engine on in babies"
to see how well their neurobehavioral system is working to properly
assess the effects of SSRI use in pregnancy.
In his study, Zeskind
compared 17 babies whose mothers used SSRIs in pregnancy to
17 babies who weren't exposed to SSRIs in the womb.
Babies born to mothers
who used SSRIs were more tremulous, had greater motor activity,
startled more often, slept deeply for very long periods of time,
had fewer changes in behavioral states, and their heart rhythms
were more erratic than babies who were not exposed to SSRIs.
Zeskind says he
doesn't know what the long-term effect of these changes might
be, and the researchers don't know if these changes are caused
by a quick withdrawal from the drug, or from serotonin syndrome,
a condition caused by too much serotonin.
In the second study,
more than 5,000 mothers from across the United States were interviewed
after bringing their children either to a general clinic or
an emergency department. The researchers conducted a depression
screen and asked the mothers about their child's health and
conditions at home.
Thirty-five percent
of the mothers interviewed tested positive for depression.
"Mothers positive
on a depression screening are more likely to have lost federal
support [such as welfare or food stamps], be food-insecure,
and consider their children in poor health," says study co-author
Dr. Patrick Casey, director for the Center on Applied Research
and Evaluation at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock.
Casey points out
their findings suggest "that policymakers who want to move families
off welfare should consider evaluations for maternal depression
if they want to optimize successful outcomes." And, he says,
getting treatment for depression should count towards welfare
eligibility hours.
More information
To learn more about
depression, visit the National
Institute of Mental Health or the Depression
and Bipolar Support Alliance.
Reference
Source 101
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