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Expert Q&A

	By Alesia Hanson, RPh Registered Pharmacist

I'm thinking of getting pregnant and am currently taking the antidepressant Effexor. Will I need to stop taking it before or during pregnancy? What about other antidepressants?

Let me first start with a quick explanation of the pregnancy categories of medications. They are A, B, C, D, and X.

• Drugs in category A have been shown to have no harmful effects in pregnancy.
• Those in category B had no harmful effects in animal studies, but there are no studies on humans.
• Category C medications showed some possible harmful effects in animal studies, but there are no studies on humans.
• Category D showed some undesirable effects on both animals and humans, but are still sometimes used in pregnancy if necessary.
• Drugs in category X absolutely should not be taken during pregnancy.

Effexor is in pregnancy category C. Animal studies have shown no malformations, but a decrease in birth weight and increase in stillbirth were seen in rats at 2.5 to 4 times the maximum recommended human daily dose. There are no studies in pregnant women. The manufacturer recommends that it only be used in pregnancy if clearly needed.

Most antidepressants (as well as most medications) are in category C. No one does studies of medications during pregnancy so there is not a lot of information. I have seen many women take antidepressants throughout their pregnancies without a problem. You should talk with both the doctor who prescribed the Effexor as well as you obstetrician. They may have particular antidepressants they prefer to use during pregnancy.

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