Link Between Prenatal Antidepressant Exposure And Autism

Source: Science Daily

According to a new meta-analysis by Jeffrey Newport, M.D, a mother’s use of antidepressants during pregnancy does not possess any links to her child developing autism.

Newport examined 14 patients, many of which identified a connection between parental use of antidepressants and autism. However, research failed to account for ascertainment bias, which occurs when one group of patients or subjects is tested more frequently than others.

Newport says that family-based studies eliminated the bias problem by comparing a children exposed to antidepressants to siblings who were not exposed to antidepressant or autism.