Prenatal Antidepressant Exposures and Autism Spectrum Disorder or Traits: A  Retrospective, Multi-Cohort Study

Patricia A Brennan; Anne L Dunlop; Lisa A Croen; Lyndsay A Avalos; Amy L Salisbury; Alison E Hipwell; Sara S Nozadi; Sheela Sathyanarayana; Rosa M Crum; Rashelle Musci; Mingyi Li; Xiuhong Li; Maxwell Mansolf; Thomas G O'Connor; Amy J Elliott; Nidhi Ghildayal; Pi-I D Lin; Jenna L N Sprowles; Joseph B Stanford; Casper Bendixsen; Sally Ozonoff; Barry M Lester; Coral L Shuster; Kathi C Huddleston; Jonathan Posner; Nigel Paneth

doi:10.1007/s10802-022-01000-5

Therapeutics · Prescribing Safety

Prenatal Antidepressant Exposures and Autism Spectrum Disorder or Traits: A Retrospective, Multi-Cohort Study

Brennan PA, Dunlop AL, Croen LA, Avalos LA, Salisbury AL, Hipwell AE, Nozadi SS, Sathyanarayana S, Crum RM, Musci R, Li M, Li X, Mansolf M, O'Connor TG, Elliott AJ, Ghildayal N, Lin PD, Sprowles JLN, Stanford JB, Bendixsen C, Ozonoff S, Lester BM, Shuster CL, Huddleston KC, Posner J, Paneth N

Published April 2023 Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 51(4), 513-527

DOI 10.1007/s10802-022-01000-5 PMID 36417100 PMC PMC10150657

Abstract

Prenatal antidepressant exposure has been associated with increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study utilized multi-cohort data from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (N = 3129) to test for this association, and determine whether the association remained after adjusting for maternal prenatal depression and other potential confounders. Antidepressants and a subset of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were examined in relation to binary (e.g., diagnostic) and continuous measures of ASD and ASD related traits (e.g., social difficulties, behavior problems) in children 1.5 to 12 years of age. Child sex was tested as an effect modifier. While prenatal antidepressant exposure was associated with ASD related traits in univariate analyses, these associations were statistically non-significant in models that adjusted for prenatal maternal depression and other maternal and child characteristics. Sex assigned at birth was not an effect modifier for the prenatal antidepressant and child ASD relationship. Overall, we found no association between prenatal antidepressant exposures and ASD diagnoses or traits. Discontinuation of antidepressants in pregnancy does not appear to be warranted on the basis of increased risk for offspring ASD.

Topics

Therapeutics › Prescribing Safety › Medication Safety in Pregnancy · Lifestyle and Environment › Environmental Exposures › Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

Patricia A Brennan, Anne L Dunlop, Lisa A Croen, Lyndsay A Avalos, Amy L Salisbury, Alison E Hipwell, Sara S Nozadi, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Rosa M Crum, Rashelle Musci, Mingyi Li, Xiuhong Li, Maxwell Mansolf, Thomas G O'Connor, Amy J Elliott, Nidhi Ghildayal, Pi-I D Lin, Jenna L N Sprowles, Joseph B Stanford, Casper Bendixsen, Sally Ozonoff, Barry M Lester, Coral L Shuster, Kathi C Huddleston, Jonathan Posner, Nigel Paneth

Pat Brennan, Trish Brennan, P Brennan, A Dunlop, L Croen, L Avalos, A Salisbury, A Hipwell, S Nozadi, S Sathyanarayana, R Crum, R Musci, M Li, X Li, M Mansolf, Tom O'Connor, T O'Connor, A Elliott, N Ghildayal, P Lin, J Sprowles, Joe Stanford, Joey Stanford, J Stanford, C Bendixsen, S Ozonoff, B Lester, C Shuster, K Huddleston, Jon Posner, J Posner, N Paneth

PMID 36417100 36417100 DOI 10.1007/s10802-022-01000-5 10.1007/s10802-022-01000-5 Brennan et al. 2023, Brennan 2023

Keywords

Antidepressive Agents

Prenatal Antidepressant Exposures and Autism Spectrum Disorder or Traits: A Retrospective, Multi-Cohort Study

Abstract

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