Psychiatrists Continue to Deny the Harm of Antidepressants During Pregnancy

Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Briana Mercola

Alternative Health, Health & Fitness

4.6 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 28 October 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Antidepressant use during pregnancy disrupts fetal brain development and increases the risk of long-term mental health problems in children
Babies exposed to SSRI antidepressants in the womb often suffer withdrawal symptoms at birth, including weak muscle tone, poor feeding, and breathing difficulties
Research shows counseling for depression lowers the risk of preterm birth, while antidepressant use increases it, highlighting the importance of non-drug approaches
Major medical organizations and media outlets continue to downplay these risks, leaving many mothers unaware of safer alternatives
Natural strategies like proper nutrition, exercise, sunlight, and stress management provide effective ways to support your mental health during pregnancy without harming your baby

Transcript

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0:00.0	What if a prescription meant to steady your mood during pregnancy, quietly increased your baby's risk of breathing problems at birth and mental health struggles years later?
0:09.0	Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. No reading required.
0:19.0	Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights.
0:23.3	Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. I'm Ethan Foster.
0:28.0	Today you'll hear why antidepressants, especially SSR-I-S, used during pregnancy,
0:34.8	are not the low-risk choice you've been told, and what non-drug options
0:38.3	you can consider to protect both your mental health and your baby's development.
0:42.4	I'm Alara Sky. The core issue is serotonin. You're told these drugs correct a chemical imbalance,
0:49.2	yet serotonin also guides how your baby's brain and body form in the womb. When you alter that signaling during development, you alter wiring that affects mood, behavior,
0:59.0	and even heart structure long after birth.
1:02.0	Evidence presented to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration laid out the risks clearly.
1:07.0	Animal studies show fetal S-S-S-R-I exposure disrupts brain development, leading to delayed
1:13.8	motor skills, abnormal fear responses, reduced ability to feel pleasure, and higher vulnerability
1:20.9	to depression and anxiety. Human data line up with this, showing increased risks of miscarriage,
1:29.6	congenital malformations, low birth weight, and persistent pulmonary hypertension.
1:34.2	Newborns exposed to SSRIS often struggle immediately after delivery.
1:40.8	About 30% show neonatal withdrawal symptoms, jitteriness, weak crying, poor muscle tone, trouble feeding, seizures, and respiratory distress.
1:51.6	You're then dealing with intensive care at the very moment you expected safe skin-to-skin bonding.
1:57.4	The long arc matters too.
1:59.3	Pre-natal antidepressant exposure has been linked with higher rates of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and mood disorders later in life.
2:07.6	One FDA panelist, Dr. J. Gingrich, noted that children may look typical early on, but depression rises sharply as they enter adolescence.
2:16.6	Altered serotonin during gestation helps explain why the amygdala, your fear and mood regulator,
	...

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