298. Taking antidepressants while pregnant doesn’t harm the child
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
It’s estimated that between 6 and 8 percent of all pregnant mothers take antidepressant medications. In the past, there has been tremendous debate about the safety of these medications for the children of the mothers taking them. In a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, Harvard researchers analyzed data from over 145,000 women and their children across the U.S., followed for up to 14 years. They found that taking these antidepressants did not harm the cognitive development or future behavior of the children. They observed that using antidepressants during pregnancy was not associated with autism, ADHD, or speech, language, or learning disorders.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
