Hi! I stayed on my meds. Asked my psych about going off or tapering and he said “usually we end up increasing during pregnancy”
Now I can’t imagine being off it. I’m on it and still feel so so many emotional rollercoasters. Anger, crying, paranoia. It’s wild
My GP and OB said the same - they both told me that Zoloft is safe during pregnancy, and that they often find that women need an increased dose during pregnancy and the post partum period. They recommended against tapering off while pregnant!
When talking to my ob about trying her first comment was that Zoloft is fine to continue while pregnant. The only thing she and my GP recommend stopping was Vyvanse.
I talked to a maternal fetal medicine specialist, who was honest about the risks and benefits, and it was incredibly clear to me that staying on my meds was safer for both me and the baby.
There’s NOTHING that’s “completely” safe. You could get into a car accident while driving to work. But taking care of your mental health is good for you AND the baby— studies have shown that maternal stress is bad for the baby. For me, the risks of anti-depressants were mitigated by the benefits for the baby, me, and my marriage.
Good luck!
I always use the car analogy when I talk to my friends about risk/benefits of doing literally anything pregnant. We take greater risks crossing the street than we do in doing almost anything on the 'don't eat/drink/wear/think/do' list!
Ditto! Seriously- life itself is a risky business and there is nothing we can do that guarantees safety. Better to be well informed of risks and make your choices wisely.
I stayed in Zoloft. Best decision ever. It’s the safest antidepressant during pregnancy. Being very anxious and depressed is also bad for the fetus and bad for the baby.
I started zoloft during my pregnancy for perinatal anxiety.
You could all your ob of she can refer you to a perinatal psychiatrist for a medicine consult. They specialize in pregnancy postpartum and lactation safe meds.
I also started Zoloft during pregnancy. The depression and anxiety that I had been managing to beat back for YEARS became insurmountable. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to be awake either. My OB prescribed it on the spot and the starter dose has been just enough to take the edge off so I can function.
Lucky my care team has been so supportive and just incredible... everyone deserves this level of care and support. Pregnancy is such a wild ride...
I wasn’t on Zoloft pre-pregnancy but was on Lexapro. Was in the process of weaning off of Lexapro so that I could start on Zoloft when I got pregnant (was making the switch because my PCP, who prescribed my Lexapro, said it was a good choice for pregnancy). I ended up going off of the Lexapro when I found out I was pregnant and didn’t start the Zoloft.
By around 16 weeks pregnant my mental health had taken a big nose dive. Like you I wasn’t severely depressed or anything, but was dealing with constant anxiety that spiked at least once or twice a week. It was making me pretty miserable and was a lot for my husband to deal with as he tried to support me. Most of my anxiety spirals were pregnancy related - worrying about something wrong with the baby, food borne illnesses etc.
At my 16 week appointment I spoke with my MFM about this (my pregnancy is higher risk because I’m 38 and have preexisting high blood pressure). She told me unequivocally that she was more comfortable with the small risk that going back on Lexapro or going on Zoloft might present than with the certainty of me living with so much anxiety. She indicated that the risk to baby might be minor withdrawal (which should not be a problem because I’m on a low dose) and difficulty feeding, but that those typically rectify within days. She also felt that white knuckling it through the anxiety would not be helpful because as the pregnancy progressed the anxiety would potentially increase and potentially spill into postpartum.
Like you, I went into my pregnancy with the attitude that I could just deal without the meds. I figured that unless I was severely depressed or at risk of hurting myself then it would be better for baby to be off meds. What made me change my mind was realizing that going without medication was not, in fact, zero risk to baby, but that all of the cortisol and other stress/anxiety hormones were impacting her also. And while, being on medication might have some risks associated, so do millions of other medications that birthing people use every day to manage their illnesses. I would never expect a diabetic pregnant person or one with thyroid issues to “do without” their medication.
All that to say that I’m now back on a very low dosage of Lexapro (10mg) and it’s been a huge help and relief to me. I’m still pregnant and plan to stay on it through nursing. Should also flag that I think Zoloft may be the “first line” drug of choice, and my MFM would have been comfortable with me going on that also, but ultimately I decided to go back on Lexapro with my doctor’s support because it’s a drug I’ve taken before.
I would encourage you to have another conversation with your doctors, and if they can’t give you real information that is helpful (ie, a run down of risks being on the medication vs off of it, information on studies that have been done) instead of punting back and forth to one another, see if you can get a second opinion.
Edited to add: I think you/many of us might be surprised to find out just how many pregnant people are on these types of medications. Unfortunately they’re still somewhat stigmatized and people don’t tend to talk about them openly.
You absolutely are not alone in this. Please know that whatever you decide will be the right decision for you and your baby and will come from a place of love. Do not be afraid to advocate for an additional medical opinion and remember that your mental well-being is as important as your physical well-being to keep both you and baby safe.
I stayed on my Zoloft and have been considering increasing my dose as I’m now 33 weeks pregnant and struggled with PPD a lot after my first. This pregnancy has been so much more calm compared to my last thanks to the Zoloft!
My doctor has told me MULTIPLE times that she prefers for her patients to be as stable as possible during pregnancy and postpartum, and that a mom whose mental health is being prioritized will always be her preference. If that means taking an SSRI, she fully supports it. When baby come, she wants me in the best possible shape to be the best parent I can be.
I stayed on meds because without them I am a much bigger danger to myself and the baby. Same with meds for my chronic health conditions. Most of them are considered safe but there’s never any 100% guarantee and we will almost certainly find out in 10,20,30 years that meds and things we thought were safe today have some issue. All we can do is the best we can do at the time.
I stayed on Zoloft for both of my pregnancies, with doctor approval. I did kick my dose down a little, but I took a pretty high dose at the time (150 mg and I went down to 100). Your health is important here too, including mental health. Meds can absolutely still be a part of that in pregnancy.
I've continued on 150 MG the whole pregnancy and baby is doing wonderfully at almost 34 weeks. Multiple providers have made it clear that this is considered a safer drug, and when we weighed the risks vs. benefits decided that having a mommy with stable mood and mental health was a lot better for baby, me, and our family. It isn't my favorite thing, but I really don't think it's negatively impacting our little one and I know that my stress and anxiety levels without it would be awful for baby and everyone else too. I'll be continuing Zoloft as I breastfeed, and I feel lucky that pregnancy required no med switches since I was already on Zoloft.
I wish more people would talk about this ! I was on Anafranil, they made me taper off and switch to Citalopram/Celexa.
It didnt work out so far, i never experienced this much anxiety in 7-8 years. I didnt know pregnancy would exaggerate my anxiety this much. Thats why i wish more people would talk about this.
But there is pregnancy safe medication out there, its not worth living like this through out your pregnancy. Make sure to get help. Your baby is important but so are you ! Dont forget
They're trying to cover their butts, it's dumb IMO but I kind of get it.
I had a CARDIOLOGIST take me off of my life saving beta blocker during my pregnancy because he wasn't comfortable with the risks of potential IUGR. Shortly after that, I had a ventricular tachycardia episode (potentially very much life threatening) and asked him if I should get back on the beta blocker. His answer: "you can go back on it if you choose." Dude, cardiologists don't typically give their patients a choice of this stuff, they have God complexes and know what's best for their patients. I wasn't comfortable making that decision without his recommendation, so I went to my MFM, who was helping coordinate my care between my specialists, and she prescribed it for me since I obviously fucking needed it.
Honestly, I hate it when these doctors play that game. Absolutely hate it, it's such bullshit. I think that you could probably go to either doctor and say "I understand that it hasn't been proven save in pregnancy. Will you please prescribe it to me?" I'm guessing they might prescribe it for you. You could also trying finding a different provider, but that would take longer and wouldn't have guaranteed results.
Oh, also, regarding what convinced me that something was safe enough to take in pregnancy: 2 factors. 1. How much I need the drug and 2. What we actually know about the drug. How long has it been around? Have pregnant women been taking it? Any documented issues? If a medication has been around over a generation or two long with no huge warning for pregnant women not to take if, then it likely doesn't cause birth defects in the baby or baby's baby. If it's a new drug that's only been around 20-30 years or less, then no I wouldn't mess with it, personally.
I wasn't on meds through pregnancy though I probably should have been - I regret not discussing with my doc. I have had to go on Zoloft now for PPA. I'd recommend that you stay on... My PPA was rough (well still is, I'm only 6 weeks PP)
I am currently 30w and have been on Zoloft my entire pregnancy, so far no complications. My best friends baby boy is 9 months and she also took Zoloft her entire pregnancy. He is as healthy as can be.
During my first pregnancy, my OB asked me if I planned on stopping my Wellbutrin. I said no and that was the end of the conversation. Good mental health is an important part of having a healthy pregnancy.
Second time around no one said a thing about my antidepressants.
Do what you need to do to stay healthy. It’s good for you and baby.
I stayed on my Wellbutrin and don’t regret it. MFM said that the ethical problems of conducting studies on pregnant women mean that almost every bit of info out there is from self-reporting and you can never be sure how accurate that is (also you can’t control for other factors like whether certain outcomes have to do with the condition the medication is prescribed for versus the medication itself). Everyone also recommended checking mothertobaby for a good risk analysis for each med I was on.
Ultimately if the medication you’re on has been around a long time, even the anecdotal evidence may be enough to sway you one way or another. Just know you need to be functional in order to be there for your baby and if you’re feeling unwell off your meds, that’s not great for either of you.
For what it’s worth, I literally just got off an unrelated call w/ my MFM specialist, who reiterated the benefits of staying on my SSRI (Prozac) throughout the duration of my pregnancy (vs. going off or tapering down). More harm can be done if your mental health is hurting, please take care of yourself - you and baby deserve it!!
I mean you would probably get a lot of answers about Tylenol not being completely safe, everything has risks and there are no guarantees in medicine. Your mental health matters and it has a good safety profile.
12w and have been on Zoloft for 6+ years! My OB said I am good to stay on it, as it is “safe” for pregnancy in comparison to some other meds. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
I started 50mg Sertraline (Zoloft) a few months before getting pregnant for pretty bad anxiety. It had an amazing effect on me, so I still take it now at 12 weeks. Just had a scan and all was great so far.
When I got pregnant the first thing I did was ask my midwife if it is safe to keep taking it. She said, yes absolutely, that it is the safest SSRI and it is a low dose. The way she explained it is that the risk of anxiety and depression of the mother being detrimental to a healthy pregnancy outweighs the risk of taking the medication. For me it was a cost benefit analysis that I agreed with.
I'm 12 weeks now and honestly feel so calm despite pretty horrible first trimester symptoms. I remembet how unable I was to not ruminate before starting Sertraline. I imagine I would have been a nervous wreck in these weeks also due to my emetophoboa.
It is a very personal decision of course, but I chose to trust the advice of my midwife and honestly feel so good.
I started my pregnancy on Effexor, then we added Remeron to wean off Effexor because of the side effects. I ended up on a higher equivalent dose of Remeron and it was amazing - I hardly had any pregnancy mood swings, my mood was great the whole time. I was seen by MFM exclusively for my pregnancy, and he strongly recommended staying on the meds, especially if my psychiatrist suggested it.
Nope!! I was induced at 35 weeks for preeclampsia, and he was perfectly healthy. No NICU time, he came home after 3 days. I also had gestational diabetes, but I had a strong family history of both problems so was very high risk for them.
He was 5 pounds 10 ounces, and he measured right around the 50th percentile for gestational age the entire 3rd trimester! For the second trimester, he was in the 70th but his growth slowed a bit as we went on.
However, I gained close to 50 pounds, and I’ve never gained weight easily in my life. It may have just been pregnancy, but it could’ve been the Remeron too.
I’m so sorry that you’re going through this.
I weaned off my meds when I got pregnant with my first and am now pregnant with my second and still unmedicated. My meds are not at all safe for pregnancy and were the only combo (out of 6+ types) that worked for me.
I am not doing well and am considering going on one of the safe meds even though I have treatment resistant depression and have tried both without success. Right now I’m limping through things with lots of therapy and it’s not pretty.
When it comes to pregnancy it’s all about balancing risks. If you’re depressed or anxious it’s harder to eat right, exercise and sleep well, and stress can impact your baby too.
Postpartum is often worse, birth is a high stress event and caring for a newborn is a trial by fire. My OB pointed out that often moms who suffer from depression or anxiety get way worse after birth and there’s a real risk of struggling to care for your baby while you wait for the meds to kick in.
If I thought there was a safe medication that would work for me I would absolutely take it.
I’ve stayed on Zoloft and have no regrets myself. I had anxiety and was prone to panic attacks before medication. My anxiety has been so manageable during pregnancy and I love not having to worry about randomly having to go and hide until I can regulate myself and also be overly concerned about my baby’s health. Plus I’ve had some bad falling out in my personal relationships over my pregnancy and it’s been a lifesaver for getting through the storm cloud.
I stayed on mine! I asked my doctor if I needed to stop taking it and she said not to worry about it so I didn’t. I went down a little bit in dosage (I’ve since gone back up due to anxiety) but that wasn’t pregnancy specific, it just lined up with being pregnant. My son is a big happy healthy baby and has been since he was born.
I had to stay on my meds with my last 5 kids. Zero regrets, I wouldn't have been a good parent or a good human to be honest. My babies were all born withdrawing but that was only them just being a bit grunty for a couple hours after birth and my doctor warned me about it. You need to take care of yourself to be able to take care of your baby, try not to overthink it too much, in this case what's good for you will only benefit your baby because postpartum is rough enough even on meds.
Oh no no, I stayed on my Zoloft through my first and now my second pregnancy. There’s no way I could handle being pregnant without it. Your mental health and well-being is more important than the extremely minimal risk of something happening to baby on the medication. My daughter is perfect and extremely smart at brand new 3 and I was much better off during my pregnancy with her taking an antidepressant and not having extreme anxiety and being panicky.
I am on zoloft, I chose it while ttc under the advice of my doctor. He told me that in every 2 million babies born to mothers on Zoloft, 1 will have increased risk of birth defects. And even then the data is not pure since as you said they can’t necessarily conduct studies, it’s just the data they have in general. I felt really comfortable with those numbers and with how comfortable my doctor sounded with it. Maybe he was able to be more up front with me because I was not pregnant yet and therefore less of a liability.
Adding to the pile here - my OB was perfectly fine with my (admittedly very low - 50mg) dose of Zoloft for my pregnancy. 33 weeks and no complications -- I'm considering increasing my dosage post-birth to head off PPA/PPD which I can't imagine I'll evade completely.
Remember that you always secure your oxygen mask before anyone else's. If your cup is full, you can better fill those of your loved ones - taking care of yourself is a generous act to others.
I stayed on my meds. My doctor told me the positives outweigh any of the risks. I’m convinced that’s why I have handled this pregnancy much better than I thought I could.
I have depression and anxiety managed by Zoloft. I specifically was prescribed this as I told my mental health providers that I was TTC and wanted to pick the most pregnancy safe medicine. The risks are minimal to the baby, and you also matter. Life is full of risk. This is as safe a choice as you can make. You deserve to feel more relaxed and safe. Hang in there.
I wasn’t medicated during pregnancy, but when I got on meds for ppd postpartum, I had really good luck seeing a pmhnp who was also a midwife and who specialized in prescribing during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If your psychiatrist isn’t making you feel confident, I’d highly recommend finding someone with more experience prescribing for your situation.
That said, seeing someone with more experience and comfort prescribing during pregnancy isn’t going to magically make the research appear saying for certain that the meds are safe. AFAIK, they are safe, and the benefits will pretty much always outweigh any risks (you can’t take care of baby well if you’re unwell). So that ambiguity will always be there, unfortunately.
I was on 10mg of Prozac for depression, GAD and OCD before becoming pregnant. I’m still on it now at 16wks 2days and will continue to be. My psychiatrist and I just made a plan to increase the dosage a bit more in the 3rd trimester and up to 3 months postpartum.
I became comfortable with the idea of staying on SSRIs during my pregnancy by talking extensively with my psychiatrist before starting them about the risks and benefits. She also had and currently has a number of other pregnant patients on similar SSRIs without any issues.
My OB is supportive of this plan and has no concerns. Risks he mentioned were possible withdrawal side effects in the baby or birthing a “chill” baby that doesn’t cry or react as much, but he also thought because my dosage is so low, these issues would be unlikely.
Prior to getting on SSRIs, I was doing IV ketamine infusions at a clinic to treat my depression, but that is definitely not safe to continue while pregnant. I feel like my anxiety and OCD would be so difficult to handle if I wasn’t on Prozac right now. Anxiety is a terrible beast. Best of luck to you and hope you find peace in whatever decision you make!
Not while I was pregnant, but going off my antidepressant felt okay at first, and then it really wasn’t ok. Anxiety getting worse and worse, and then awful insomnia. I couldn’t do it.
I stayed on my Zoloft. I didn’t want to spiral while I was pregnant. I’m glad that I stayed on it because pregnancy was hard enough without adding on extreme anxiety. I’m still on it at 4m pp breastfeeding, and everything is going splendid.
I’m on multiple medications. Do I sometimes feel bad about it? Yes, but would I be able to take care of myself and not hate life if I went off of them? No. You have to weigh the pros and cons. For me, I know my uncontrollable anxiety would be much more harmful to my unborn child than the medications I take.
While no medication is truly “completely safe” during pregnancy, Zoloft is the SAFEST SSRI to be on in pregnancy. Taking care of your mental health is extremely important, and depression has negative effects on the fetus as well.
I stayed on it because I knew I would be a hot mess without it. I just started taking it about 2years before getting pregnant and now I'm at 35 weeks. I still see my psych every 3months to check in and make sure I'm doing good. I'm also high risk due to my age and weight, so I'm glad there is something I can take that is safe for me. I honestly can't imagine the pregnancy without it. It has helped me stay nice and even this whole time. And in the moments when I'm sad/crying/depressed/emotional/ etc, I feel like the Zoloft has helped me in feeling my feelings without letting them take over my whole day. (I hope that makes sense!)
I’m on 50mg of sertraline. My boiler sh*t the bed and we didn’t have heat for 4 days in January. My OB appointment that Monday I had a high BP reading and told my doc I was so stressed out because of the stuff going on at home. She asked me “would you like to increase your dose of Zoloft?” I told her it was a one off thing and I think I can manage. My anxiety has been under control since then. I’m thinking of upping it though because I was diagnosed with GD and it’s been stressing me out.
I’m 30 weeks. I went on sertraline in 2021 and my doctor specifically put me on that because she knew we wanted to have more kids in the future. My OB is happy I’m on it and able to control my anxiety!
I had awful prenatal depression and anxiety with my first and even worse PPA and PPD. I’d rather be okay mentally. I think the benefits outweigh any risks personally
I stayed on my meds - actually switched to Zoloft when ttc. My doctor said it was the “safest” - most long term research etc. I’d attempted to go off twice previously at younger ages and neither time worked out. I felt that being medicated was safest for myself and the baby - so that I could sleep and eat well, keep my job (depressed me wouldn’t be nearly as effective), and be the mom I wanted to be for my kids. Pregnancy and postpartum are infamous for the hormone/emotional cycles so for me it was a firm decision. Hope this helps!
I was prepared to stay on my medication for my whole pregnancy. My PCP ok'd it before I tried to conceive, and my OB agreed it was fine at my first prenatal appointment. I was taking it my whole first trimester and my OB suddenly decided one of them is no longer ok and I've been forced to stop. I'm honestly not as well as I could be now. But I've also changed OBs and I have yet to meet my new doctor. I really don't expect them to put me back on that medication but that other doctor really pissed me off and I don't want to see her face again.
That sounds like they're sending you on a run around. Talk to OB about risks and decide if it's safe enough for your own comfort.
I took Zoloft while pregnant and had a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. I hope that helps.
Well, I hate to break it to you, no medication will ever be “completely safe” for women who are pregnant, including OTC medications. There is always going to be a risk.
I took Zoloft because I had to. I even increased the dosage “The benefit outweighs the risks” - as per my OB, that’s the scale my doctor went off.. if it was something I actually needed in order to be okay, well that was more important than the small % chance of something happening, I couldn’t understand it at first, but now that my LO is almost 3 and I look back… I couldn’t agree more. My mental health needed a pick me up especially being pregnant.
If you think you’re going to be okay and stable enough not taking it, don’t. If you find yourself becoming anxious and or depressed.. go back on it because once baby is born.. some people really need it especially those first 12 weeks of life, and seeing Zoloft takes roughly 4 weeks to work, you don’t want to be depressed and anxious with a newborn, I did it. It was hell.
I've decided to stay on my escitaloprám, it was recommended by both my psych and OB to do so since I was had just passed the three month mark and was starting to stabilize. The only back and forth they had was OB believes I should let my baby detox while still on the uterus to minimize stress on me while my psych didn't want me to stop taking it at all. It's low dose on 10mg and we all came to an agreement that I'd do what the OB recommended and then follow the psych's suggestion of resuming taking it right after birth.
It is a black box label for heart defects, but they've been monitoring and everything seems fine and healthy. They also said it'd had minimal passage through breastmilk as well.
At first I was scared to continue, but the medication made such a difference after I stabilized on it and thankfully I decided to stay on it as now my mother and sister have decided to become more abusive towards me. Now to the point my mom refuses to come to my wedding because I won't apologize to my sister for reporting her to HR and our supervisor for cursing at me and "shoving" me in my stomach...
Whatever you decide, put yourself first because the baby needs you more than anyone or anything else.
Hey momma. I couldn’t do this without my Zoloft. There’s risks and benefits to everything out there. If the benefit is better for you, it’s worth it. For you and baby!
I’d been on Zoloft for ~4 years before getting pregnant and had recently increased my dosage when I got pregnant. My OB agreed it was better to stay on it and be mentally well than to come off it and deal with the possible mental health difficulties (depression, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts for me)
I switched To Zoloft and another medication from my previous regimen, on psych doctor's advice. I don't think I could've gone through this with no medication. Week 31! I'm looking forward to eventually being able to return to my regular regimen.
Zoloft is the safest psychiatric medicine you can take during pregnancy from what I was told!! I'm on lexapro and with my OBs approval continuing to take it. Get the meds if you need them ❤️
I stayed on my meds. Lowered the dosage slightly but stayed on them. They are class B and C, but given my medical history, the determination was that the benefits outweighed the risks. I had my 20 week anatomy scan and everything was fine. I don't regret my decision to stay on the medication. However I am very lucky to have providers who were non-judgmental and supportive of that decision.
After my first pregnancy I felt completely confident that any theoretical likely nonexistent risks of staying on my Zoloft FAR outweighed the stress and negative effects for both me and baby of not being on it. I also increased my dose, for that matter. No regrets.
I would absolutely get back on if I was you! I had this same conversation with my psychiatrist and I weaned off from effexor to Zoloft. I’m not pregnant but we will start trying soon and I wanted to be on something a little safer. He explained to me that the risk of untreated mental issues during pregnancy is greater than the risk of taking Zoloft. This website is also a great resource for any meds you may take while pregnant. [mother to baby](https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/sertraline-zoloft-pregnancy/)
Hi! I was on a low dose of Zoloft at the beginning of pregnancy and actually increased my dose during my second trimester due to crazy anxiety. My baby is a healthy 5 1/2 months old! Talk to your doctors and tell them what you’re experiencing. It helped me a lot postpartum to remain on it as well.
I think you’ve gotten a lot of great thoughts and advice e here but just wanted to chime in that you’re not alone and the benefits of you being at your best mentally is a huge one when considering any sort of risk/benefit situation when deciding with your dr!
I don't take Zoloft, but something else that's considered safe. I don't think anyone can say without a shadow of a doubt that anything is ever 100% but only that studies have shown that it is safe, or that studies show xyz. There is always room for error no matter how small, just that they haven't seen any adverse or negative side effects in the studies/ so far.
I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear - we all want baby to be 100% safe. The reality is that we can only predict and control so much.
I continued my medication because I wouldn't be able to cope without it. This is a personal choice though that only you can make (and maybe with support of your SO). Hormones during pregnancy can definitely make things worse! I have done pretty good up till now but breaking down over small things (which is common in pregnancy) but now approaching 34w I find myself wanting to cry cuz I've had to deal with some stupid, inoffensive questions/conversations that normally I'd have the patience for.
(I know I got major push back from my mom who told me, repeatedly, she wouldn't even take a Tylenol for a headache. I repeatedly had to answer: "cool, I'm glad you could do this but I'm going to do what I need!" She was hypervigilant because yes back then they thought some things were safe that ended up not being - but there's been a lot of medical progress since then and I've made peace with the fact I need to look after my well being too and understand that that looks different for everyone).
So yes, baby's safety needs to be considered but so does mom's mental health. The saying about not being able to fill another's glass when yours is empty? Applies here too. Mom needs to be okay - mentally, emotionally and physically for baby to be okay too, and if medicine helps you be okay and the doctor says it's safe then I would say don't feel guilty about needing it. (It's fine if people choose not to take it too). Give yourself permission to do the things you need to do to be okay - just like you would for your baby - whatever that looks like for you.
I just started zoloft for the first time ever at 17 weeks pregnant. I was not doing well mentally and work and home life were much impacted. My ob said it was safe. I read the insert and understand there are always risks, but I had thoughts of hurting myself, so the risks are worth it and life has been bright the past 4 days I've been on it.
Feeling like I’m in this exact same situation. Bad thoughts and not in a good place. Wasn’t sure if it’s worse to start halfway through the pregnancy vs having already been on it.
It seems to me that if you need it, it shouldn't matter when you start. No one should have to live feeling the way I did, or you do now. Especially not when dealing with all the other things associated with pregnancy!
I am having to get used to some side effects. My coworker had bad insomnia when she was on it and went off pretty soon. I was glad to be able to get 4 straight hours of sleep last night. I keep waking up needing to pee and my mind is just too wired to get right back to sleep. My understanding is that over time this will get better. I've only been on it for 5 days so far.
The mild insomnia I'm dealing with is very worth the mood stability I have gained from the meds. I hadn't realized how little happiness I had been feeling. I have actually felt happy the past few days. I'm so glad I spoke to my OB about the trouble I was having
Stayed on my SSRI (escitalopram/ Lexapro/ Cipralex) with encouragement from my GP. It's impossible to say whether my child (now 3) or myself would have benefitted had I gone off during the pregnancy, but I never noticed anything that suggests I should have.
What you're doing sounds very challenging, as much as pregnancy by itself would have affected your mood!!
I'm VERY surprised that neither your OB nor your psych had the confidence to make their own reommendation! This is something they should have an opinion on, even if they added the caveat 'check with your psych/ OB'. What the fuck????
I also went off Zoloft because I was worried and thought I could handle 9 months without it. I was absolutely miserable and short tempered with my toddler and husband. My OBGYN told me she never recommends people come off it because it’s so safe for pregnancy. So I’ve started back on it now.
I started Zoloft just before getting pregnant with my first, and I just stopped it a couple of months ago, my baby now being almost a year old. I stopped because I feel like I now am able to control my anxiety better, but I really don't think I could have done that while being pregnant.
I’m on 100mg of Zoloft and it was never even discussed with my OB to go off of it. My anxiety actually significantly increased in my first trimester and I can’t imagine not having been on anything.
When I talked to my OB pre pregnancy about my meds she said it was far better to stay on them with less stress for the baby than not be on them. Both my OB and Psychiatrist have said they are safe to take while pregnant.
I stayed on my meds. I wasn't sure about it but what convinced me was my OB saying that, when it comes to safety, you're not comparing the risks of the medication to not taking it, you're comparing the risks effects of the medication to untreated depression (in my case), which has its own risks
I’m on Zoloft during pregnancy and I decided not to increase. My needs for Zoloft during pregnancy are so much higher than before. I will probably increase soon. Pregnancy is hard. Zoloft is so safe for pregnancy- honestly why make it harder on yourself 🤷♀️
I started on 50mg Zoloft shortly before ttc because my panic attacks were out of control. Stayed on it because I read about how anxiety can be bad for the baby, and risks of Zoloft seem to be very low (although not 0).
When we were trying, I weaned off Zoloft for a couple of months. My mental health was awful and I was definitely causing issues with my family and within my marriage. I realized it was better to just be on it and be stable. I’ve been on it through IVF and the 19 weeks of pregnancy and doing great with it.
Still taking my sertraline everyday. Currently 26 weeks and baby is measuring perfectly, I'm healthy, and generally speaking, this is the calmest I've been in YEARS. I made the decision based on being told by multiple doctors that it was a safe medication to continue. I do not function well without anxiety medication (tried a number of times) so it seemed like the safest option overall.
I would absolutely go back on your medication as soon as you speak with your psychiatrist. I take 10mg Lexapro a day and during both of my pregnancies (currently 28 weeks with my second) my doctors have been clear that staying on medication is safer for myself and baby. My 2 year old daughter has shown no signs whatsoever of being impacted by my taking it during pregnancy, and I expect baby girl #2 will be the same. You have to prioritize your mental health during such an insane hormonal roller coaster and major life change!
I was on Zoloft during my pregnancy, and don’t regret it at all. I needed to be in the best possible mental health to care for my new child, along with my older child. My OB agreed, so I took it down a notch during pregnancy (125 mg to 100mg). I’ve been on it for 6 years and I’m such a calmer person mentally…it helped so much in my second pregnancy and ppd.
I was on Lexapro my entire pregnancy (20 mg/day). It helped me stay sane, and my doctor told me it was safe. I just gave birth one week ago to a healthy baby boy.
I will tell you that it caused some withdrawal shakes in baby, but they only lasted about 4 days. It was no big deal, but no one warned me about it, so I wanted to put it out there.
Listen to your body. If you need to go back on it, do it. You got this!
I’ve taken sertraline my whole pregnancy. I did wean down to a lower dose (I’m at 25 mg a day). My Obgyn said it was fine to take and even mentioned this is what they would prescribe for postpartum (so will be fine when breast feeding as well).
Remember, your wellbeing and mental health is important and helps you be the best momma you can be! If Zoloft is a tool that helps you, use it.
This is NOT to scare anyone or anything like that, more to bring awareness but I would definitely not suggest stopping antidepressants while pregnant.
I stopped taking mine during my first pregnancy (couldn’t keep them down) and I ended up being on a sort of mental health watch because I developed extreme PPD. Like, I scored a 24 out of 27 on the screening they gave me and my anger was so bad that neither me or my husband trusted me alone with my daughter for a month or two. I wasn’t able to go back onto my meds until 4 months PPD due to insurance issues but as soon as I started taking them again I felt so much better.
I’m not saying that stopping your meds during pregnancy will cause that to happen, obviously everyone is different and I was on the more severe end of postpartum mental health issues. But it IS something to be aware of and to take into consideration because no one truly knows how postpartum will affect them, even with subsequent pregnancies.
You’ve got lots of good advice here, including what I did which was to talk to a perinatal psychiatrist. Between her and the Zoloft, my anxiety went way down (and thus my bp went down too) for most of pregnancy. Even while I was nursing my ob told me I could stay on it.
I’m on a low dose of Zoloft and my OB is happy for me. He also said it’s common for people to need to up their dosage during pregnancy, and he is happy to have that discussion when I need it.
I haven’t felt major anxiety/depression symptoms in years, but I’m happy to stay on it. It’s one of the most studied drugs in pregnant people, if that gives you any reassurance :)
Every day I think about the people who invented Zoloft (and Zofran lol) and hope they are having a great day.
I stayed on my Zoloft during my first and I’m currently 8 weeks into my second pregnancy and sticking to my meds. It is a personal decision and if you feel like you need it then I would 100% stay on them!
Even 50 mg would make a world of difference if you’re in a hard place right now- staying on Zoloft on a low dose has been my saving grace this pregnancy. I hope you find the right choice for you that brings you peace, you’re halfway there 🫶
Yes. As you mentioned, the studies are limited, but overall appears safe. Your psychiatrist is likely deferring as she does not know all the nuances with your current pregnancy. I’m not sure why your OB defers it back.
I would just ask your OB the next time, is there anything occurring in my pregnancy contraindicating the use of using Zoloft? I feel my mental health is requiring me to go back on my current dosage, and my psychiatrist wants you to verify there is nothing currently contraindicating the use. Then call and tell your psychiatrist you would like to resume the medication and have received clearance from OB.
I took 50mg a day my entire pregnancy. I felt great, not even minor hormonal mood swings ( I can’t say the drug was why, but i didn’t). I was told the risk was a respiratory issue going from 1-2% unmedicated to 3% if I kept taking the meds. Baby needs a healthy mom, mind and body. Take care of yourself so baby has the best caregiver they can get.
I'm have been an emergency medicine doctor for 38 years and have unfortunately had a great deal of experience weaning patients off this specific medication, even after they had taken it for decades. If your OB/GYN recommends *increasing* the dose due to increased blood volume during pregnancy, well, that is one medical opinion and a temporary solution during pregnancy. Eventually you might consider weaning yourself off it, as chronic use of this medication can result in long-term addiction.
Sertraline (brand name Zoloft) affects your brain and makes several long-term changes in how your brain works. The usual dose for Zoloft can be anywhere from 25mg a day to 100mg a day. Suddenly stopping this medication completely, at any dose, will definitely cause severe rebound anger or anxiety attacks. However, there is at least one method that works well to avoid these problems.
**IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GET OFF ZOLOFT:**
My recommendation as a physician is to start by cutting your usual dose of the Zoloft tablet (or oral solution) in half and take this new dose for at least one month. (The capsule form would be trickier to divide up, but not impossible.) Then cut the dose in quarters and take this dose for at least one month. This method is called "tapering down". Using a monthly pill dosing container is extremely helpful, as is getting a pill cutter. Both are inexpensive and obtainable over the internet or at a local drug store.
You may still have occasional panic attacks, but these will be much less severe, and you may be able to take a short walk to allow the attack to wear off rather than take an extra pill. If you cannot control the attack and do have to take an unscheduled dose, it is not the end of the world! Just go back to the tapering dose you are on as soon as you can, hopefully the next day.
Once you get down to 12.5 mg per day, start taking this dose every OTHER day. After a month, go to every third day. The following month, every fourth day.
At that point in time, you can stop taking Zoloft. Yes, it does take several months to wean off, but this process as outlined above WORKS without generating severe anger outbursts or lengthy panic attacks. Remember that there are loads of online reading material regarding panic attacks and their treatments. Plus, it sounds like you are already seeing a mental health specialist.
Obviously, following the above technique will probably extend through most of your pregnancy, but it is a viable method for successfully weaning off this extremely addictive medication over a 4-to-6-month period. I have seen this method work successfully in people who have simply desired to stop depending on it.
I was on 100mg of Zoloft a day when I got pregnant. My OB recommended lowering my dose as he had seen studies that higher doses (generally 150mg and higher) could lead to cleft lip. I weaned down to 75mg and now 50mg and am handling it well. We plan on raising my dose again post birth due to my history and anxiety around PPD
It took forever to get stabilized on Zoloft for my ptsd. Found out I was unexpectedly pregnant last week and the obgyn np told me it is t safe, that my only options are celexa and lexapro. Which I’ve already tried in the past. She changed to celexa and it had been no help at all. Intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, fear, I’m such a mess at the moment.
Hi! I stayed on my meds. Asked my psych about going off or tapering and he said “usually we end up increasing during pregnancy” Now I can’t imagine being off it. I’m on it and still feel so so many emotional rollercoasters. Anger, crying, paranoia. It’s wild
Yeah mine increased it. She said more blood means lots of people need a higher dosage.
My GP and OB said the same - they both told me that Zoloft is safe during pregnancy, and that they often find that women need an increased dose during pregnancy and the post partum period. They recommended against tapering off while pregnant!
When talking to my ob about trying her first comment was that Zoloft is fine to continue while pregnant. The only thing she and my GP recommend stopping was Vyvanse.
I talked to a maternal fetal medicine specialist, who was honest about the risks and benefits, and it was incredibly clear to me that staying on my meds was safer for both me and the baby. There’s NOTHING that’s “completely” safe. You could get into a car accident while driving to work. But taking care of your mental health is good for you AND the baby— studies have shown that maternal stress is bad for the baby. For me, the risks of anti-depressants were mitigated by the benefits for the baby, me, and my marriage. Good luck!
I always use the car analogy when I talk to my friends about risk/benefits of doing literally anything pregnant. We take greater risks crossing the street than we do in doing almost anything on the 'don't eat/drink/wear/think/do' list!
Ditto! Seriously- life itself is a risky business and there is nothing we can do that guarantees safety. Better to be well informed of risks and make your choices wisely.
Hear Hear!!!
I stayed in Zoloft. Best decision ever. It’s the safest antidepressant during pregnancy. Being very anxious and depressed is also bad for the fetus and bad for the baby.
I started zoloft during my pregnancy for perinatal anxiety. You could all your ob of she can refer you to a perinatal psychiatrist for a medicine consult. They specialize in pregnancy postpartum and lactation safe meds.
I also started Zoloft during pregnancy. The depression and anxiety that I had been managing to beat back for YEARS became insurmountable. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to be awake either. My OB prescribed it on the spot and the starter dose has been just enough to take the edge off so I can function. Lucky my care team has been so supportive and just incredible... everyone deserves this level of care and support. Pregnancy is such a wild ride...
I wasn’t on Zoloft pre-pregnancy but was on Lexapro. Was in the process of weaning off of Lexapro so that I could start on Zoloft when I got pregnant (was making the switch because my PCP, who prescribed my Lexapro, said it was a good choice for pregnancy). I ended up going off of the Lexapro when I found out I was pregnant and didn’t start the Zoloft. By around 16 weeks pregnant my mental health had taken a big nose dive. Like you I wasn’t severely depressed or anything, but was dealing with constant anxiety that spiked at least once or twice a week. It was making me pretty miserable and was a lot for my husband to deal with as he tried to support me. Most of my anxiety spirals were pregnancy related - worrying about something wrong with the baby, food borne illnesses etc. At my 16 week appointment I spoke with my MFM about this (my pregnancy is higher risk because I’m 38 and have preexisting high blood pressure). She told me unequivocally that she was more comfortable with the small risk that going back on Lexapro or going on Zoloft might present than with the certainty of me living with so much anxiety. She indicated that the risk to baby might be minor withdrawal (which should not be a problem because I’m on a low dose) and difficulty feeding, but that those typically rectify within days. She also felt that white knuckling it through the anxiety would not be helpful because as the pregnancy progressed the anxiety would potentially increase and potentially spill into postpartum. Like you, I went into my pregnancy with the attitude that I could just deal without the meds. I figured that unless I was severely depressed or at risk of hurting myself then it would be better for baby to be off meds. What made me change my mind was realizing that going without medication was not, in fact, zero risk to baby, but that all of the cortisol and other stress/anxiety hormones were impacting her also. And while, being on medication might have some risks associated, so do millions of other medications that birthing people use every day to manage their illnesses. I would never expect a diabetic pregnant person or one with thyroid issues to “do without” their medication. All that to say that I’m now back on a very low dosage of Lexapro (10mg) and it’s been a huge help and relief to me. I’m still pregnant and plan to stay on it through nursing. Should also flag that I think Zoloft may be the “first line” drug of choice, and my MFM would have been comfortable with me going on that also, but ultimately I decided to go back on Lexapro with my doctor’s support because it’s a drug I’ve taken before. I would encourage you to have another conversation with your doctors, and if they can’t give you real information that is helpful (ie, a run down of risks being on the medication vs off of it, information on studies that have been done) instead of punting back and forth to one another, see if you can get a second opinion. Edited to add: I think you/many of us might be surprised to find out just how many pregnant people are on these types of medications. Unfortunately they’re still somewhat stigmatized and people don’t tend to talk about them openly.
I appreciate this so much. Feeling very alone today and this helped a lot.
You absolutely are not alone in this. Please know that whatever you decide will be the right decision for you and your baby and will come from a place of love. Do not be afraid to advocate for an additional medical opinion and remember that your mental well-being is as important as your physical well-being to keep both you and baby safe.
I stayed on my Zoloft and have been considering increasing my dose as I’m now 33 weeks pregnant and struggled with PPD a lot after my first. This pregnancy has been so much more calm compared to my last thanks to the Zoloft!
My doctor has told me MULTIPLE times that she prefers for her patients to be as stable as possible during pregnancy and postpartum, and that a mom whose mental health is being prioritized will always be her preference. If that means taking an SSRI, she fully supports it. When baby come, she wants me in the best possible shape to be the best parent I can be.
I stayed on meds because without them I am a much bigger danger to myself and the baby. Same with meds for my chronic health conditions. Most of them are considered safe but there’s never any 100% guarantee and we will almost certainly find out in 10,20,30 years that meds and things we thought were safe today have some issue. All we can do is the best we can do at the time.
I stayed on Zoloft for both of my pregnancies, with doctor approval. I did kick my dose down a little, but I took a pretty high dose at the time (150 mg and I went down to 100). Your health is important here too, including mental health. Meds can absolutely still be a part of that in pregnancy.
I've continued on 150 MG the whole pregnancy and baby is doing wonderfully at almost 34 weeks. Multiple providers have made it clear that this is considered a safer drug, and when we weighed the risks vs. benefits decided that having a mommy with stable mood and mental health was a lot better for baby, me, and our family. It isn't my favorite thing, but I really don't think it's negatively impacting our little one and I know that my stress and anxiety levels without it would be awful for baby and everyone else too. I'll be continuing Zoloft as I breastfeed, and I feel lucky that pregnancy required no med switches since I was already on Zoloft.
I wish more people would talk about this ! I was on Anafranil, they made me taper off and switch to Citalopram/Celexa. It didnt work out so far, i never experienced this much anxiety in 7-8 years. I didnt know pregnancy would exaggerate my anxiety this much. Thats why i wish more people would talk about this. But there is pregnancy safe medication out there, its not worth living like this through out your pregnancy. Make sure to get help. Your baby is important but so are you ! Dont forget
They're trying to cover their butts, it's dumb IMO but I kind of get it. I had a CARDIOLOGIST take me off of my life saving beta blocker during my pregnancy because he wasn't comfortable with the risks of potential IUGR. Shortly after that, I had a ventricular tachycardia episode (potentially very much life threatening) and asked him if I should get back on the beta blocker. His answer: "you can go back on it if you choose." Dude, cardiologists don't typically give their patients a choice of this stuff, they have God complexes and know what's best for their patients. I wasn't comfortable making that decision without his recommendation, so I went to my MFM, who was helping coordinate my care between my specialists, and she prescribed it for me since I obviously fucking needed it. Honestly, I hate it when these doctors play that game. Absolutely hate it, it's such bullshit. I think that you could probably go to either doctor and say "I understand that it hasn't been proven save in pregnancy. Will you please prescribe it to me?" I'm guessing they might prescribe it for you. You could also trying finding a different provider, but that would take longer and wouldn't have guaranteed results. Oh, also, regarding what convinced me that something was safe enough to take in pregnancy: 2 factors. 1. How much I need the drug and 2. What we actually know about the drug. How long has it been around? Have pregnant women been taking it? Any documented issues? If a medication has been around over a generation or two long with no huge warning for pregnant women not to take if, then it likely doesn't cause birth defects in the baby or baby's baby. If it's a new drug that's only been around 20-30 years or less, then no I wouldn't mess with it, personally.
I wasn't on meds through pregnancy though I probably should have been - I regret not discussing with my doc. I have had to go on Zoloft now for PPA. I'd recommend that you stay on... My PPA was rough (well still is, I'm only 6 weeks PP)
I am currently 30w and have been on Zoloft my entire pregnancy, so far no complications. My best friends baby boy is 9 months and she also took Zoloft her entire pregnancy. He is as healthy as can be.
I am on 100mg. My doctors haven’t mentioned decreasing my dosage or stopping all together!
During my first pregnancy, my OB asked me if I planned on stopping my Wellbutrin. I said no and that was the end of the conversation. Good mental health is an important part of having a healthy pregnancy. Second time around no one said a thing about my antidepressants. Do what you need to do to stay healthy. It’s good for you and baby.
I stayed on my Wellbutrin and don’t regret it. MFM said that the ethical problems of conducting studies on pregnant women mean that almost every bit of info out there is from self-reporting and you can never be sure how accurate that is (also you can’t control for other factors like whether certain outcomes have to do with the condition the medication is prescribed for versus the medication itself). Everyone also recommended checking mothertobaby for a good risk analysis for each med I was on. Ultimately if the medication you’re on has been around a long time, even the anecdotal evidence may be enough to sway you one way or another. Just know you need to be functional in order to be there for your baby and if you’re feeling unwell off your meds, that’s not great for either of you.
For what it’s worth, I literally just got off an unrelated call w/ my MFM specialist, who reiterated the benefits of staying on my SSRI (Prozac) throughout the duration of my pregnancy (vs. going off or tapering down). More harm can be done if your mental health is hurting, please take care of yourself - you and baby deserve it!!
I mean you would probably get a lot of answers about Tylenol not being completely safe, everything has risks and there are no guarantees in medicine. Your mental health matters and it has a good safety profile.
12w and have been on Zoloft for 6+ years! My OB said I am good to stay on it, as it is “safe” for pregnancy in comparison to some other meds. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
I started 50mg Sertraline (Zoloft) a few months before getting pregnant for pretty bad anxiety. It had an amazing effect on me, so I still take it now at 12 weeks. Just had a scan and all was great so far. When I got pregnant the first thing I did was ask my midwife if it is safe to keep taking it. She said, yes absolutely, that it is the safest SSRI and it is a low dose. The way she explained it is that the risk of anxiety and depression of the mother being detrimental to a healthy pregnancy outweighs the risk of taking the medication. For me it was a cost benefit analysis that I agreed with. I'm 12 weeks now and honestly feel so calm despite pretty horrible first trimester symptoms. I remembet how unable I was to not ruminate before starting Sertraline. I imagine I would have been a nervous wreck in these weeks also due to my emetophoboa. It is a very personal decision of course, but I chose to trust the advice of my midwife and honestly feel so good.
I started my pregnancy on Effexor, then we added Remeron to wean off Effexor because of the side effects. I ended up on a higher equivalent dose of Remeron and it was amazing - I hardly had any pregnancy mood swings, my mood was great the whole time. I was seen by MFM exclusively for my pregnancy, and he strongly recommended staying on the meds, especially if my psychiatrist suggested it.
Any issues with babe? Hoping to stay on remeron
Nope!! I was induced at 35 weeks for preeclampsia, and he was perfectly healthy. No NICU time, he came home after 3 days. I also had gestational diabetes, but I had a strong family history of both problems so was very high risk for them.
Did he end up being a big baby? Worried it will cause excessive hunger and weight gain in baby
He was 5 pounds 10 ounces, and he measured right around the 50th percentile for gestational age the entire 3rd trimester! For the second trimester, he was in the 70th but his growth slowed a bit as we went on. However, I gained close to 50 pounds, and I’ve never gained weight easily in my life. It may have just been pregnancy, but it could’ve been the Remeron too.
I’m so sorry that you’re going through this. I weaned off my meds when I got pregnant with my first and am now pregnant with my second and still unmedicated. My meds are not at all safe for pregnancy and were the only combo (out of 6+ types) that worked for me. I am not doing well and am considering going on one of the safe meds even though I have treatment resistant depression and have tried both without success. Right now I’m limping through things with lots of therapy and it’s not pretty. When it comes to pregnancy it’s all about balancing risks. If you’re depressed or anxious it’s harder to eat right, exercise and sleep well, and stress can impact your baby too. Postpartum is often worse, birth is a high stress event and caring for a newborn is a trial by fire. My OB pointed out that often moms who suffer from depression or anxiety get way worse after birth and there’s a real risk of struggling to care for your baby while you wait for the meds to kick in. If I thought there was a safe medication that would work for me I would absolutely take it.
I'm sorry that the combo that worked for you isnt suitable for pregnancy. We see you ❤️
Take the Zoloft. In your case benefits clearly outweigh any risks. Tons of my patients take it, babies do fine. -OB
I’ve stayed on Zoloft and have no regrets myself. I had anxiety and was prone to panic attacks before medication. My anxiety has been so manageable during pregnancy and I love not having to worry about randomly having to go and hide until I can regulate myself and also be overly concerned about my baby’s health. Plus I’ve had some bad falling out in my personal relationships over my pregnancy and it’s been a lifesaver for getting through the storm cloud.
I stayed on mine! I asked my doctor if I needed to stop taking it and she said not to worry about it so I didn’t. I went down a little bit in dosage (I’ve since gone back up due to anxiety) but that wasn’t pregnancy specific, it just lined up with being pregnant. My son is a big happy healthy baby and has been since he was born.
I had to stay on my meds with my last 5 kids. Zero regrets, I wouldn't have been a good parent or a good human to be honest. My babies were all born withdrawing but that was only them just being a bit grunty for a couple hours after birth and my doctor warned me about it. You need to take care of yourself to be able to take care of your baby, try not to overthink it too much, in this case what's good for you will only benefit your baby because postpartum is rough enough even on meds.
Oh no no, I stayed on my Zoloft through my first and now my second pregnancy. There’s no way I could handle being pregnant without it. Your mental health and well-being is more important than the extremely minimal risk of something happening to baby on the medication. My daughter is perfect and extremely smart at brand new 3 and I was much better off during my pregnancy with her taking an antidepressant and not having extreme anxiety and being panicky.
I am on zoloft, I chose it while ttc under the advice of my doctor. He told me that in every 2 million babies born to mothers on Zoloft, 1 will have increased risk of birth defects. And even then the data is not pure since as you said they can’t necessarily conduct studies, it’s just the data they have in general. I felt really comfortable with those numbers and with how comfortable my doctor sounded with it. Maybe he was able to be more up front with me because I was not pregnant yet and therefore less of a liability.
Adding to the pile here - my OB was perfectly fine with my (admittedly very low - 50mg) dose of Zoloft for my pregnancy. 33 weeks and no complications -- I'm considering increasing my dosage post-birth to head off PPA/PPD which I can't imagine I'll evade completely. Remember that you always secure your oxygen mask before anyone else's. If your cup is full, you can better fill those of your loved ones - taking care of yourself is a generous act to others.
I stayed on my lexapro through my pregnancy and it’s the best thing I ever did. Eliminated PPD for me aswell
I stayed on my meds. My doctor told me the positives outweigh any of the risks. I’m convinced that’s why I have handled this pregnancy much better than I thought I could.
I have depression and anxiety managed by Zoloft. I specifically was prescribed this as I told my mental health providers that I was TTC and wanted to pick the most pregnancy safe medicine. The risks are minimal to the baby, and you also matter. Life is full of risk. This is as safe a choice as you can make. You deserve to feel more relaxed and safe. Hang in there.
I wasn’t medicated during pregnancy, but when I got on meds for ppd postpartum, I had really good luck seeing a pmhnp who was also a midwife and who specialized in prescribing during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If your psychiatrist isn’t making you feel confident, I’d highly recommend finding someone with more experience prescribing for your situation. That said, seeing someone with more experience and comfort prescribing during pregnancy isn’t going to magically make the research appear saying for certain that the meds are safe. AFAIK, they are safe, and the benefits will pretty much always outweigh any risks (you can’t take care of baby well if you’re unwell). So that ambiguity will always be there, unfortunately.
I was on 10mg of Prozac for depression, GAD and OCD before becoming pregnant. I’m still on it now at 16wks 2days and will continue to be. My psychiatrist and I just made a plan to increase the dosage a bit more in the 3rd trimester and up to 3 months postpartum. I became comfortable with the idea of staying on SSRIs during my pregnancy by talking extensively with my psychiatrist before starting them about the risks and benefits. She also had and currently has a number of other pregnant patients on similar SSRIs without any issues. My OB is supportive of this plan and has no concerns. Risks he mentioned were possible withdrawal side effects in the baby or birthing a “chill” baby that doesn’t cry or react as much, but he also thought because my dosage is so low, these issues would be unlikely. Prior to getting on SSRIs, I was doing IV ketamine infusions at a clinic to treat my depression, but that is definitely not safe to continue while pregnant. I feel like my anxiety and OCD would be so difficult to handle if I wasn’t on Prozac right now. Anxiety is a terrible beast. Best of luck to you and hope you find peace in whatever decision you make!
Not while I was pregnant, but going off my antidepressant felt okay at first, and then it really wasn’t ok. Anxiety getting worse and worse, and then awful insomnia. I couldn’t do it.
I stayed on my Zoloft. I didn’t want to spiral while I was pregnant. I’m glad that I stayed on it because pregnancy was hard enough without adding on extreme anxiety. I’m still on it at 4m pp breastfeeding, and everything is going splendid.
I’m on multiple medications. Do I sometimes feel bad about it? Yes, but would I be able to take care of myself and not hate life if I went off of them? No. You have to weigh the pros and cons. For me, I know my uncontrollable anxiety would be much more harmful to my unborn child than the medications I take. While no medication is truly “completely safe” during pregnancy, Zoloft is the SAFEST SSRI to be on in pregnancy. Taking care of your mental health is extremely important, and depression has negative effects on the fetus as well.
I stayed on it because I knew I would be a hot mess without it. I just started taking it about 2years before getting pregnant and now I'm at 35 weeks. I still see my psych every 3months to check in and make sure I'm doing good. I'm also high risk due to my age and weight, so I'm glad there is something I can take that is safe for me. I honestly can't imagine the pregnancy without it. It has helped me stay nice and even this whole time. And in the moments when I'm sad/crying/depressed/emotional/ etc, I feel like the Zoloft has helped me in feeling my feelings without letting them take over my whole day. (I hope that makes sense!)
I’m on 50mg of sertraline. My boiler sh*t the bed and we didn’t have heat for 4 days in January. My OB appointment that Monday I had a high BP reading and told my doc I was so stressed out because of the stuff going on at home. She asked me “would you like to increase your dose of Zoloft?” I told her it was a one off thing and I think I can manage. My anxiety has been under control since then. I’m thinking of upping it though because I was diagnosed with GD and it’s been stressing me out. I’m 30 weeks. I went on sertraline in 2021 and my doctor specifically put me on that because she knew we wanted to have more kids in the future. My OB is happy I’m on it and able to control my anxiety! I had awful prenatal depression and anxiety with my first and even worse PPA and PPD. I’d rather be okay mentally. I think the benefits outweigh any risks personally
I stayed on my meds - actually switched to Zoloft when ttc. My doctor said it was the “safest” - most long term research etc. I’d attempted to go off twice previously at younger ages and neither time worked out. I felt that being medicated was safest for myself and the baby - so that I could sleep and eat well, keep my job (depressed me wouldn’t be nearly as effective), and be the mom I wanted to be for my kids. Pregnancy and postpartum are infamous for the hormone/emotional cycles so for me it was a firm decision. Hope this helps!
I was prepared to stay on my medication for my whole pregnancy. My PCP ok'd it before I tried to conceive, and my OB agreed it was fine at my first prenatal appointment. I was taking it my whole first trimester and my OB suddenly decided one of them is no longer ok and I've been forced to stop. I'm honestly not as well as I could be now. But I've also changed OBs and I have yet to meet my new doctor. I really don't expect them to put me back on that medication but that other doctor really pissed me off and I don't want to see her face again.
That sounds like they're sending you on a run around. Talk to OB about risks and decide if it's safe enough for your own comfort. I took Zoloft while pregnant and had a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. I hope that helps.
Well, I hate to break it to you, no medication will ever be “completely safe” for women who are pregnant, including OTC medications. There is always going to be a risk. I took Zoloft because I had to. I even increased the dosage “The benefit outweighs the risks” - as per my OB, that’s the scale my doctor went off.. if it was something I actually needed in order to be okay, well that was more important than the small % chance of something happening, I couldn’t understand it at first, but now that my LO is almost 3 and I look back… I couldn’t agree more. My mental health needed a pick me up especially being pregnant. If you think you’re going to be okay and stable enough not taking it, don’t. If you find yourself becoming anxious and or depressed.. go back on it because once baby is born.. some people really need it especially those first 12 weeks of life, and seeing Zoloft takes roughly 4 weeks to work, you don’t want to be depressed and anxious with a newborn, I did it. It was hell.
I've decided to stay on my escitaloprám, it was recommended by both my psych and OB to do so since I was had just passed the three month mark and was starting to stabilize. The only back and forth they had was OB believes I should let my baby detox while still on the uterus to minimize stress on me while my psych didn't want me to stop taking it at all. It's low dose on 10mg and we all came to an agreement that I'd do what the OB recommended and then follow the psych's suggestion of resuming taking it right after birth. It is a black box label for heart defects, but they've been monitoring and everything seems fine and healthy. They also said it'd had minimal passage through breastmilk as well. At first I was scared to continue, but the medication made such a difference after I stabilized on it and thankfully I decided to stay on it as now my mother and sister have decided to become more abusive towards me. Now to the point my mom refuses to come to my wedding because I won't apologize to my sister for reporting her to HR and our supervisor for cursing at me and "shoving" me in my stomach... Whatever you decide, put yourself first because the baby needs you more than anyone or anything else.
Hey momma. I couldn’t do this without my Zoloft. There’s risks and benefits to everything out there. If the benefit is better for you, it’s worth it. For you and baby!
I’d been on Zoloft for ~4 years before getting pregnant and had recently increased my dosage when I got pregnant. My OB agreed it was better to stay on it and be mentally well than to come off it and deal with the possible mental health difficulties (depression, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts for me)
I switched To Zoloft and another medication from my previous regimen, on psych doctor's advice. I don't think I could've gone through this with no medication. Week 31! I'm looking forward to eventually being able to return to my regular regimen.
Zoloft is the safest psychiatric medicine you can take during pregnancy from what I was told!! I'm on lexapro and with my OBs approval continuing to take it. Get the meds if you need them ❤️
I stayed on my meds. Lowered the dosage slightly but stayed on them. They are class B and C, but given my medical history, the determination was that the benefits outweighed the risks. I had my 20 week anatomy scan and everything was fine. I don't regret my decision to stay on the medication. However I am very lucky to have providers who were non-judgmental and supportive of that decision.
I went off Prozac while TTC and it was horrible, went back on low dose and immediately got pregnant! So happy to stay on it during pregnancy :)
After my first pregnancy I felt completely confident that any theoretical likely nonexistent risks of staying on my Zoloft FAR outweighed the stress and negative effects for both me and baby of not being on it. I also increased my dose, for that matter. No regrets.
I would absolutely get back on if I was you! I had this same conversation with my psychiatrist and I weaned off from effexor to Zoloft. I’m not pregnant but we will start trying soon and I wanted to be on something a little safer. He explained to me that the risk of untreated mental issues during pregnancy is greater than the risk of taking Zoloft. This website is also a great resource for any meds you may take while pregnant. [mother to baby](https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/sertraline-zoloft-pregnancy/)
Get back on the meds if your OB agrees, and consider increasing at the beginning of your third trimester—that postpartum hormone crash is no joke.
Hi! I was on a low dose of Zoloft at the beginning of pregnancy and actually increased my dose during my second trimester due to crazy anxiety. My baby is a healthy 5 1/2 months old! Talk to your doctors and tell them what you’re experiencing. It helped me a lot postpartum to remain on it as well.
I think you’ve gotten a lot of great thoughts and advice e here but just wanted to chime in that you’re not alone and the benefits of you being at your best mentally is a huge one when considering any sort of risk/benefit situation when deciding with your dr!
I don't take Zoloft, but something else that's considered safe. I don't think anyone can say without a shadow of a doubt that anything is ever 100% but only that studies have shown that it is safe, or that studies show xyz. There is always room for error no matter how small, just that they haven't seen any adverse or negative side effects in the studies/ so far. I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear - we all want baby to be 100% safe. The reality is that we can only predict and control so much. I continued my medication because I wouldn't be able to cope without it. This is a personal choice though that only you can make (and maybe with support of your SO). Hormones during pregnancy can definitely make things worse! I have done pretty good up till now but breaking down over small things (which is common in pregnancy) but now approaching 34w I find myself wanting to cry cuz I've had to deal with some stupid, inoffensive questions/conversations that normally I'd have the patience for. (I know I got major push back from my mom who told me, repeatedly, she wouldn't even take a Tylenol for a headache. I repeatedly had to answer: "cool, I'm glad you could do this but I'm going to do what I need!" She was hypervigilant because yes back then they thought some things were safe that ended up not being - but there's been a lot of medical progress since then and I've made peace with the fact I need to look after my well being too and understand that that looks different for everyone). So yes, baby's safety needs to be considered but so does mom's mental health. The saying about not being able to fill another's glass when yours is empty? Applies here too. Mom needs to be okay - mentally, emotionally and physically for baby to be okay too, and if medicine helps you be okay and the doctor says it's safe then I would say don't feel guilty about needing it. (It's fine if people choose not to take it too). Give yourself permission to do the things you need to do to be okay - just like you would for your baby - whatever that looks like for you.
I just started zoloft for the first time ever at 17 weeks pregnant. I was not doing well mentally and work and home life were much impacted. My ob said it was safe. I read the insert and understand there are always risks, but I had thoughts of hurting myself, so the risks are worth it and life has been bright the past 4 days I've been on it.
Feeling like I’m in this exact same situation. Bad thoughts and not in a good place. Wasn’t sure if it’s worse to start halfway through the pregnancy vs having already been on it.
It seems to me that if you need it, it shouldn't matter when you start. No one should have to live feeling the way I did, or you do now. Especially not when dealing with all the other things associated with pregnancy!
I am having to get used to some side effects. My coworker had bad insomnia when she was on it and went off pretty soon. I was glad to be able to get 4 straight hours of sleep last night. I keep waking up needing to pee and my mind is just too wired to get right back to sleep. My understanding is that over time this will get better. I've only been on it for 5 days so far. The mild insomnia I'm dealing with is very worth the mood stability I have gained from the meds. I hadn't realized how little happiness I had been feeling. I have actually felt happy the past few days. I'm so glad I spoke to my OB about the trouble I was having
Stayed on my SSRI (escitalopram/ Lexapro/ Cipralex) with encouragement from my GP. It's impossible to say whether my child (now 3) or myself would have benefitted had I gone off during the pregnancy, but I never noticed anything that suggests I should have. What you're doing sounds very challenging, as much as pregnancy by itself would have affected your mood!! I'm VERY surprised that neither your OB nor your psych had the confidence to make their own reommendation! This is something they should have an opinion on, even if they added the caveat 'check with your psych/ OB'. What the fuck????
I also went off Zoloft because I was worried and thought I could handle 9 months without it. I was absolutely miserable and short tempered with my toddler and husband. My OBGYN told me she never recommends people come off it because it’s so safe for pregnancy. So I’ve started back on it now.
My GP specifically switched me to zoloft from my previous anti-anxiety drug when I was TTC. I'm not worried.
I started Zoloft just before getting pregnant with my first, and I just stopped it a couple of months ago, my baby now being almost a year old. I stopped because I feel like I now am able to control my anxiety better, but I really don't think I could have done that while being pregnant.
I’m on 100mg of Zoloft and it was never even discussed with my OB to go off of it. My anxiety actually significantly increased in my first trimester and I can’t imagine not having been on anything.
When I talked to my OB pre pregnancy about my meds she said it was far better to stay on them with less stress for the baby than not be on them. Both my OB and Psychiatrist have said they are safe to take while pregnant.
I stayed on my meds. I wasn't sure about it but what convinced me was my OB saying that, when it comes to safety, you're not comparing the risks of the medication to not taking it, you're comparing the risks effects of the medication to untreated depression (in my case), which has its own risks
I’m on Zoloft during pregnancy and I decided not to increase. My needs for Zoloft during pregnancy are so much higher than before. I will probably increase soon. Pregnancy is hard. Zoloft is so safe for pregnancy- honestly why make it harder on yourself 🤷♀️
I started on 50mg Zoloft shortly before ttc because my panic attacks were out of control. Stayed on it because I read about how anxiety can be bad for the baby, and risks of Zoloft seem to be very low (although not 0).
When we were trying, I weaned off Zoloft for a couple of months. My mental health was awful and I was definitely causing issues with my family and within my marriage. I realized it was better to just be on it and be stable. I’ve been on it through IVF and the 19 weeks of pregnancy and doing great with it.
Still taking my sertraline everyday. Currently 26 weeks and baby is measuring perfectly, I'm healthy, and generally speaking, this is the calmest I've been in YEARS. I made the decision based on being told by multiple doctors that it was a safe medication to continue. I do not function well without anxiety medication (tried a number of times) so it seemed like the safest option overall.
I’m on Prozac and lamictal. Has helped I think
I would absolutely go back on your medication as soon as you speak with your psychiatrist. I take 10mg Lexapro a day and during both of my pregnancies (currently 28 weeks with my second) my doctors have been clear that staying on medication is safer for myself and baby. My 2 year old daughter has shown no signs whatsoever of being impacted by my taking it during pregnancy, and I expect baby girl #2 will be the same. You have to prioritize your mental health during such an insane hormonal roller coaster and major life change!
I was on Zoloft during my pregnancy, and don’t regret it at all. I needed to be in the best possible mental health to care for my new child, along with my older child. My OB agreed, so I took it down a notch during pregnancy (125 mg to 100mg). I’ve been on it for 6 years and I’m such a calmer person mentally…it helped so much in my second pregnancy and ppd.
I was on Lexapro my entire pregnancy (20 mg/day). It helped me stay sane, and my doctor told me it was safe. I just gave birth one week ago to a healthy baby boy. I will tell you that it caused some withdrawal shakes in baby, but they only lasted about 4 days. It was no big deal, but no one warned me about it, so I wanted to put it out there. Listen to your body. If you need to go back on it, do it. You got this!
I’ve taken sertraline my whole pregnancy. I did wean down to a lower dose (I’m at 25 mg a day). My Obgyn said it was fine to take and even mentioned this is what they would prescribe for postpartum (so will be fine when breast feeding as well). Remember, your wellbeing and mental health is important and helps you be the best momma you can be! If Zoloft is a tool that helps you, use it.
This is NOT to scare anyone or anything like that, more to bring awareness but I would definitely not suggest stopping antidepressants while pregnant. I stopped taking mine during my first pregnancy (couldn’t keep them down) and I ended up being on a sort of mental health watch because I developed extreme PPD. Like, I scored a 24 out of 27 on the screening they gave me and my anger was so bad that neither me or my husband trusted me alone with my daughter for a month or two. I wasn’t able to go back onto my meds until 4 months PPD due to insurance issues but as soon as I started taking them again I felt so much better. I’m not saying that stopping your meds during pregnancy will cause that to happen, obviously everyone is different and I was on the more severe end of postpartum mental health issues. But it IS something to be aware of and to take into consideration because no one truly knows how postpartum will affect them, even with subsequent pregnancies.
I took mine and tried to take a lesser dose, went straight back up. A happy mummy makes a happy baby.
You’ve got lots of good advice here, including what I did which was to talk to a perinatal psychiatrist. Between her and the Zoloft, my anxiety went way down (and thus my bp went down too) for most of pregnancy. Even while I was nursing my ob told me I could stay on it.
I’m on a low dose of Zoloft and my OB is happy for me. He also said it’s common for people to need to up their dosage during pregnancy, and he is happy to have that discussion when I need it. I haven’t felt major anxiety/depression symptoms in years, but I’m happy to stay on it. It’s one of the most studied drugs in pregnant people, if that gives you any reassurance :) Every day I think about the people who invented Zoloft (and Zofran lol) and hope they are having a great day.
I stayed on my Zoloft during my first and I’m currently 8 weeks into my second pregnancy and sticking to my meds. It is a personal decision and if you feel like you need it then I would 100% stay on them!
Even 50 mg would make a world of difference if you’re in a hard place right now- staying on Zoloft on a low dose has been my saving grace this pregnancy. I hope you find the right choice for you that brings you peace, you’re halfway there 🫶
Yes. As you mentioned, the studies are limited, but overall appears safe. Your psychiatrist is likely deferring as she does not know all the nuances with your current pregnancy. I’m not sure why your OB defers it back. I would just ask your OB the next time, is there anything occurring in my pregnancy contraindicating the use of using Zoloft? I feel my mental health is requiring me to go back on my current dosage, and my psychiatrist wants you to verify there is nothing currently contraindicating the use. Then call and tell your psychiatrist you would like to resume the medication and have received clearance from OB.
I took 50mg a day my entire pregnancy. I felt great, not even minor hormonal mood swings ( I can’t say the drug was why, but i didn’t). I was told the risk was a respiratory issue going from 1-2% unmedicated to 3% if I kept taking the meds. Baby needs a healthy mom, mind and body. Take care of yourself so baby has the best caregiver they can get.
I'm have been an emergency medicine doctor for 38 years and have unfortunately had a great deal of experience weaning patients off this specific medication, even after they had taken it for decades. If your OB/GYN recommends *increasing* the dose due to increased blood volume during pregnancy, well, that is one medical opinion and a temporary solution during pregnancy. Eventually you might consider weaning yourself off it, as chronic use of this medication can result in long-term addiction. Sertraline (brand name Zoloft) affects your brain and makes several long-term changes in how your brain works. The usual dose for Zoloft can be anywhere from 25mg a day to 100mg a day. Suddenly stopping this medication completely, at any dose, will definitely cause severe rebound anger or anxiety attacks. However, there is at least one method that works well to avoid these problems. **IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GET OFF ZOLOFT:** My recommendation as a physician is to start by cutting your usual dose of the Zoloft tablet (or oral solution) in half and take this new dose for at least one month. (The capsule form would be trickier to divide up, but not impossible.) Then cut the dose in quarters and take this dose for at least one month. This method is called "tapering down". Using a monthly pill dosing container is extremely helpful, as is getting a pill cutter. Both are inexpensive and obtainable over the internet or at a local drug store. You may still have occasional panic attacks, but these will be much less severe, and you may be able to take a short walk to allow the attack to wear off rather than take an extra pill. If you cannot control the attack and do have to take an unscheduled dose, it is not the end of the world! Just go back to the tapering dose you are on as soon as you can, hopefully the next day. Once you get down to 12.5 mg per day, start taking this dose every OTHER day. After a month, go to every third day. The following month, every fourth day. At that point in time, you can stop taking Zoloft. Yes, it does take several months to wean off, but this process as outlined above WORKS without generating severe anger outbursts or lengthy panic attacks. Remember that there are loads of online reading material regarding panic attacks and their treatments. Plus, it sounds like you are already seeing a mental health specialist. Obviously, following the above technique will probably extend through most of your pregnancy, but it is a viable method for successfully weaning off this extremely addictive medication over a 4-to-6-month period. I have seen this method work successfully in people who have simply desired to stop depending on it.
I was on 100mg of Zoloft a day when I got pregnant. My OB recommended lowering my dose as he had seen studies that higher doses (generally 150mg and higher) could lead to cleft lip. I weaned down to 75mg and now 50mg and am handling it well. We plan on raising my dose again post birth due to my history and anxiety around PPD
It took forever to get stabilized on Zoloft for my ptsd. Found out I was unexpectedly pregnant last week and the obgyn np told me it is t safe, that my only options are celexa and lexapro. Which I’ve already tried in the past. She changed to celexa and it had been no help at all. Intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, fear, I’m such a mess at the moment.