According to a study, babies born to women on antipsychotic drugs are more likely to spend time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or to need specialized care after birth. Lead investigator, Jayashri Kulkarni, director of the Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Center said, “This new research confirms that most babies are born healthy, but many experience neonatal problems, such as respiratory distress.” The 7-year observational study found that 43 percent of the babies born to the women on antipsychotic drugs spent time in a special care nursery or NICU. While the study found an association between use of these medications during pregnancy and certain neonatal problems, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Via U.S. News. Posted June 4, 2014.
–Alanna McCatty
