A comprehensive review of 37 previous studies involving more than 600,000 pregnant women and nearly 25 million pregnancies with no antidepressant use has found that exposure to most antidepressants during pregnancy has little to no association with autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children once researchers account for other influential factors.
The study, published Thursday in The Lancet Psychiatry, initially found that maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy was linked with a 35% higher risk of ADHD and a 69% higher risk of autism without intellectual disabilities. However, when researchers adjusted for confounders such as genetic and familial influences and the reasons for taking antidepressants, these links significantly weakened or disappeared. The risk for autism decreased to about 15%.
Underlying Vulnerability, Not Medications
“This pattern strongly suggests that the higher rates of ADHD and autism seen in previously exposed groups are largely driven by the underlying vulnerability of these mothers and families,” said Dr. Wing Chung Chang, co-senior author and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Hong Kong. He noted that antidepressants “are the mainstay medication treatment for depressive disorder,” which affects more than 10% of pregnant women worldwide.
The research addresses concern that intensified during July 2025 FDA expert panel discussions about possibly strengthening warnings on SSRIs (selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors) in pregnancy, which highlighted potential risks such as autism, miscarriage, and birth defects. Medical organizations criticized the event for being “alarmingly unbalanced” and neglecting to “adequately acknowledge the harms of untreated perinatal mood disorders.”
Weighing Risks and Benefits
People planning to have children or those already pregnant should know that the study’s findings affirm current clinical guidelines, which generally support continuing antidepressant treatment during pregnancy when needed. Chang noted that “our findings do not provide strong evidence that prenatal antidepressant exposure causes neurodevelopmental disorders.”
The untreated alternative carries significant risks: developing children of mothers with untreated depression face greater risk for prematurity and low birth weight, and higher rates of impulsivity, socialization issues, and cognitive, behavioral and emotional difficulties. Mental health conditions caused nearly 28% of maternal pregnancy-related deaths in 2022, up from 23% in 2017 to 2019.
For tricyclic antidepressants, older medications that affect both serotonin and norepinephrine, only amitriptyline and nortriptyline remained linked with higher ADHD risk after accounting for confounding factors. Experts recommend that pregnant individuals on these older medications discuss potential risks and benefits with clinicians.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://ktvz.com/health/cnn-health/2026/05/14/taking-antidepressants-during-pregnancy-has-little-to-no-link-to-adhd-autism/