Antidepressant Continuation in Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression Risk Across Racial and Ethnic Groups

The authors aimed to investigate the risk of postpartum depression in women who either continued or stopped antidepressant medications during pregnancy, and whether this risk varied by race, ethnicity, age, and prenatal depressive symptoms. Their findings indicate that discontinuing antidepressants is associated with a higher risk of postpartum depression, particularly in women with existing depressive symptoms, suggesting that continuing medication may be beneficial for preventing postpartum depression in patients with a history of depressive disorders.