Tuesday, June 2, 2015
TEASE RUNS: 05 (antidepressant medication, pregnant woman, baby in nursery)
Taking anti-depressants late in pregnancy, does it cause problems for the baby?
That’s next.
JAMA 3983
TRT: 1:48
EMBARGO: 11a.m. (ET) Tuesday, June 2, 2015
INTRO: A 2006 health advisory from the Food and Drug Administration alerted women that taking certain types of anti-depressants late in pregnancy could increase the risk of a severe and life-threatening breathing disorder in their newborns. In 2011, the F-D-A updated the advisory saying it was too early to reach firm conclusions about a possible link. A new study examines whether taking anti-depressants during late pregnancy increases the risk for this condition known as P-P-H-N. Catherine Dolf has more in this week’s JAMA Report.
VIDEO AUDIO
BABIES BREATHE VERY DIFFERENTLY BEFORE AND
AFTER BIRTH.
B-ROLL
Babies in nursery, babies feet and stomach going up and down
SOT/FULL
Krista F. Huybrechts, M.S., Ph.D., -
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Super@:05
Runs:05
B-ROLL
Various shots of pregnant woman
“Before birth, the baby’s blood circulates differently while in the ut erus.”
THE FETUS GETS OXYGEN FROM ITS MOTHER. THE
DEVELOPING LUNGS ARE NOT USED FOR
1

getting ultrasound, graphic: full screen of incubator with PPHN sliding onto screen and highlighting first letters PPHN, Dr. Huybrechts walking in hospital, cu shots of antidepressant medications, Dr.
Huybrechts talking with nurse, showing nurse the medication
BREATHING. AFTER BIRTH THIS SHOULD CHANGE.
PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION OR P-P-H-
N OCCURS WHEN THE BABY DOES NOT ADAPT TO
BREATHING OUTSIDE THE WOMB. DR. KRISTA
HUYBRECHTS (Hau-brecks) FROM BRIGHAM AND
WOMEN’S HOSPITAL IN BOSTON AND CO-AUTHORS
EXAMINED MEDICAL RECORDS OF NEARLY 4 MILLION
PUBLICLY INSURED WOMEN, ALL DIAGNOSED WITH
DEPRESSION, WHO FILLED A PRESCRIPTION FOR
ANTI-DEPRESSANTS DURING THE LAST 90 DAYS OF
PREGNANCY. THE RESEARCHERS WERE MOST
INTERESTED IN USE OF SELECTIVE SEROTONIN RE-
UPTAKE INHIBITOR ANTI-DEPRESSANTS OR S-S-R-Is.
“The large majority of those women, around 80 percent, used an SSRI as opposed to a non-SSRI antidepressant.”
SOT/FULL
Krista F. Huybrechts, M.S., Ph.D., -
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Super@:42
Runs:08
B-ROLL
Pregnant women walking, baby in incubator with nurse and doctor around him
SOT/FULL
Krista F. Huybrechts, M.S., Ph.D., -
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Super@:58
Runs:07
GXF FULL
JAMA LOGO
THE RECORDS OF WOMEN WHO DID NOT TAKE AN
ANTIDEPRESSANT WERE ALSO EXAMINED. THE
NUMBER OF BABIES BORN WITH P-P-H-N WAS
COMPARED IN EACH GROUP.
“We did observe a higher risk of PPHN in women that were exposed to antidepressants compared to those that weren’t.”
SOT/FULL
Krista F. Huybrechts, M.S., Ph.D., -
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Super@1:09
Runs:17
(Video covering middle of bite: babies in nursery)
B-ROLL
Pregnant women, babies in nursery
SOT/FULL
Krista F. Huybrechts, M.S., Ph.D., -
THE STUDY APPEARS IN JAMA, JOURNAL OF THE
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
“Once we accounted for potential differences in the characteristics of women belonging to these different exposure groups we did not find an increase in the risk of PPHN associated with either SSRI antidepressants nor for non-
SSRI antidepressants.”
THOSE CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDED DIABETES AND
OBESITY, BOTH OF WHICH ARE KNOWN RISK
FACTORS FOR P-P-H-N.
“This is important information for clinicians and their patients when they are weighing the risks and benefits
2

Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Super@1:33
Runs:15
(Video covering 2nd of bite: antidepressant medications)
B-ROLL
Antidepressant medications of continuing antidepressant medication use during pregnancy or potentially initiating medication use during pregnancy.”
CATHERINE DOLF, THE JAMA REPORT.
TAG: THE RISK OF P-P-H-N IN THE STUDY POPULATION RANGED BETWEEN 20 AND 30
CASES PER TEN THOUSAND BIRTHS.
Please see the complete study for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
TO CONTACT: Dr. Krista Huybrechts call: Elaine St. Peter at: ( 617) 525-6375
ADDITIONAL SOUNDBITES:
Krista F. Huybrechts, M.S., Ph.D., -
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
QUOTE 1 Runs:19
“Although we cannot entirely exclude the possibility that there might be a small increase in risk due to exposure to SSRI antidepressants late in pregnancy, this risk increase, if present, is much more modest than several of previous studies have suggested.”
3