SSRI use during pregnancy is linked to autism and developmental delays in boys, according to research conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Scientists analyzed data from nearly 1, 000 mother-child pairs and found that prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) was nearly three times as likely in boys with autism spectrum disorder, with the greatest risk when exposure took place during mother’s first trimester. A mother’s SSRI use during the third trimester was also linked to developmental delays in boys. To read the full article, please visit Pediatrics, May 1, 2014).

In other research, Northwestern University found that young dads appear to be at high risk for depression. Using data collected from more than 10, 000 young men over nearly 20 years, researchers found that depressive symptoms increased on average by 68 percent over the first five years of fatherhood. The men were about 25 years old on average when they became fathers and lived in the same homes as their children. Previous research has shown depressed dads use more corporal punishment, read less and interact less with their children, and are more likely to be stressed and neglect their children (Pediatrics, May 1, 2014).

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Susie Bean Team