Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and the Risk of Congenital Heart Defects: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

Shang Wang; Lijuan Yang; Lian Wang; Ling Gao; Biao Xu; Yunyun Xiong

doi:10.1161/JAHA.114.001681

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and the Risk of Congenital Heart Defects: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies

J Am Heart Assoc. 2015 May 19;4(5):e001681. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.001681.

Authors

Shang Wang¹, Lijuan Yang², Lian Wang¹, Ling Gao¹, Biao Xu¹, Yunyun Xiong³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiology, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China (S.W., L.W., L.G., B.X.).
² Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China (L.Y.).
³ Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (Y.X.).

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have reported conflicting results on the association between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the risk of heart defects. We aimed to assess the association between SSRIs in pregnant women during the first trimester and the risk of congenital heart defects.

Methods and results: PubMed and EMBASE up to July 2014 were searched for population-based cohort studies that reported SSRIs in pregnant women during the first trimester and live infants' heart defects at follow-up. A meta-analysis of published data was undertaken primarily by means of fixed-effects models. Four cohort studies including 1 996 519 participants were included with a mean follow-up period ranging from discharge to 72 months. SSRIs were not associated with increased risks of heart defects 1.06 (95% confidence interval: 0.94 to 1.18).

Conclusions: SSRIs during the first trimester in pregnant women were not associated with increased risks for newborn heart defects.

Keywords: SSRIs; antidepressant; congenital; heart defects; meta‐analysis; pregnant.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / epidemiology*
Adult
Antidepressive Agents / administration & dosage
Antidepressive Agents / adverse effects*
Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
Female
Fetal Development / drug effects
Follow-Up Studies
Heart Defects, Congenital / chemically induced*
Heart Defects, Congenital / epidemiology
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications / chemically induced*
Pregnancy Trimester, First / drug effects*
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / administration & dosage
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / adverse effects*
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

Antidepressive Agents
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors