Depression Treatment During Infertility

It's common for women with infertility to also experience depression, even if for many the relationship is like “the chicken and the egg” – was the patient going through undiagnosed depression prior to running up against conception obstacles, or has the infertility journey, itself, triggered clinical depression? Which struggle started first is not the biggest question, though.

As a recent review of studies bears out, there are legitimate concerns about the use of certain types of antidepressants by pregnant women. The review, published last October in the journal Human Reproduction, concluded that there is no evidence of improved pregnancy outcomes with antidepressant usage and, in fact, the opposite is true. This related article on ScienceBlog describes “mounting evidence that SSRIs may decrease pregnancy rates” in women who used fertility treatment, and there's a link between antidepressant use and increased miscarriage rates.

Depression must be taken seriously, and not dismissed as “merely” infertility-related sadness. But the choice of depression treatment by women who are also going through fertility treatment should be handled with caution, on a very individualized basis. Just because a particular drug benefits one woman, that doesn't necessarily mean it will benefit all.

If you have ever been diagnosed with depression, or if you have a strong family history of depression, be sure to let your fertility care providers – as well as your primary care physician – know. An informed team approach is the best way to handle a dual diagnosis of infertility and depression.

~ Dr. Sonja Kristiansen M.D.

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