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Eating Disorders During Pregnancy: Are Antidepressants Safe?
Contributor: Jena Morrow Margis, CADC, Timberline Knolls Alumnae Coordinator, Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center
Medication management is an important part of treatment for countless women who may be recovering from an eating disorder. Whether the illness is anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder (BED), medications can be a helpful part of a comprehensive treatment program for eating disorder recovery.
Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and tricyclic antidepressants, have been shown to be effective for the treatment of eating disorders, particularly when co-occurring mental illnesses, like depression and OCD, are present [1].
Managing Eating Disorder Recovery in Pregnancy
For many women prescribed antidepressants for eating disorders, long-term use of these medications may be warranted to improve effectiveness and for managing chronic symptoms related to an eating disorder.
What about a woman in eating disorder recovery who becomes pregnant? Is it safe to continue an antidepressant, particularly if this medication has been a fundamental part of eating disorder treatment?
Pregnancy often motivates women to make choices that will support the overall health and wellness of themselves and their growing baby. This is also a time when a woman may become more conscious of what she is consuming and putting into her body, as this directly impacts her baby in some shape or form, including various foods and medications.
For a woman in eating disorder recovery who has been on antidepressants, there may be fear that continuing this medication is safe during pregnancy. Some women may go as far as stopping their antidepressant completely due to concerns about how this might impact their baby.
Keeping Health a Priority While Pregnant
A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that babies exposed to antidepressants in utero did not have any more signs of Neonatal Discontinuation Syndrome (NDS) than babies who were not exposed to antidepressants in utero [2]. This included neonatal symptoms, such as difficulty feeding, irritability, and respiratory issues, which can be associated with NDS.
Researchers found that babies who experienced these types of symptoms two to four weeks postpartum were more likely to be a result of a preterm birth, rather than exposure to an antidepressant during pregnancy.
These findings may be helpful for a mother in eating disorder recovery who is unsure about the safety of continuing a prescribed antidepressant during her pregnancy. For many women in recovery, an antidepressant may be an effective tool for managing various symptoms related to the eating disorder.
The most important thing a pregnant woman in eating disorder recovery can do is to consult with her interdisciplinary treatment team throughout the course of her pregnancy to determine the safest and most effective form of ongoing treatment. It is not advisable to suddenly discontinue a medication, such as an antidepressant, without direction and guidance from a professional treatment team.
If you are pregnant and working to maintain eating disorder recovery, know that you can support a healthy outcome for yourself and your baby by leaning on the support of your treatment team, family and loved ones.
About the Author: As the Alumnae Coordinator at Timberline Knolls, Jena develops and maintains relationships with former TK residents after they return home. This is accomplished via phone, email, social media, and other avenues of communication.
She is responsible for producing and facilitating various alumnae events, including monthly on-campus gatherings as well as an annual retreat in the Chicago area.
She is constantly striving to grow and evolve the alumnae program, which she helped create, and manages an active Alumnae Board and network across the country and world.
References:
[1]: Gorla, K., & Mathews, M. (2005). Pharmacological Treatment of Eating Disorders. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 2(6), 43–48.[2]: Northwestern University. (2017, June 1). Taking antidepressants during pregnancy not associated with neonatal problems at 2-4 weeks: Preterm birth was the major factor associated with newborn problems at this age. ScienceDaily. Retrieved June 16, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170601135637.htm
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Published on July 4, 2017.
Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 4, 2017.
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
