Sertraline in Pregnancy: Not that Innocuous. Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Sertraline, which is one of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), is commonly used during pregnancy, mainly for the treatment of depressive disorders. Because sertraline use during gestation is perceived as having a favourable risk/benefit ratio, the use of this drug in this context has increased over the past decade. Nevertheless, short-term adverse outcomes occur in up to 30% of infants exposed in utero to SSRIs, and SSRI-related symptoms have been attributed to both direct drug effects and to a withdrawal syndrome. We present two cases of neonatal adverse short outcome after the gestational use of sertraline for treating maternal depression, and discuss the literature and guidelines concerning the use of this drug during pregnancy.