No clear autism link to antidepressant use during pregnancy, large study finds
Key takeaways
- Add ARY News on Google AAResize.
- Kennedy has said, without evidence, that certain antidepressants pose such a risk to fetuses, and has also linked vaccines to autism, a debunked theory contrary to established science.
- Wing-Chung Chang of the University of Hong Kong said in a statement.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize. The use of antidepressants while pregnant does not raise the children’s risk for developmental disorders such as autism, according to an analysis of data from more than 25 million pregnancies that appears to contradict assertions by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Kennedy has said, without evidence, that certain antidepressants pose such a risk to fetuses, and has also linked vaccines to autism, a debunked theory contrary to established science. The causes of autism are unclear. Scientists speculate that its neurological characteristics may develop in utero, when the fetal brain is being wired.
“Our study provides reassuring evidence that commonly used antidepressants do not increase the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children,” study leader Dr. Wing-Chung Chang of the University of Hong Kong said in a statement.