Forum 1st trimester

Pregnancy and antidepressants

9 replies

MeisGuest ·
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Hi everyone! Maybe you can help me out.. I got pregnant unexpectedly while I was taking the pill and medication (antidepressants, Fluoxetine). Now I'm wondering what the consequences might be for the embryo in the early stages?

Could this have possibly affected the duration of the implantation process (so longer implantation, weeks later)? Or the growth of the embryo in the beginning, that it had a slower growth at first and then when I stopped the medication it grew normally again? So that on the first ultrasound it looks like I'm 9 weeks, but I'm actually further along? (On all ultrasounds the baby grew exactly according to the estimated date from the dating scan)

When I found out I was pregnant, I stopped. It was around 7 weeks. Or is all this impossible?

Thanks!

Replies

  1. Tooby #2

    Stopping antidepressants immediately without supervision is very unwise. Have you discussed this with the doctor/psychiatrist who prescribed them? If not, do it right away!
    You can also ask the doctor about possible side effects; they need to know this, and they should also have knowledge about treatment during and after pregnancy.

    Good luck!

  2. Meis started this #3

    On advice, I stopped right away, so I didn't do it on my own, honestly wouldn't dare haha.
    Since I stopped, I also don't have any more contact with the doctor about it. But I just wondered if this could have any effects on the embryo in the beginning, maybe slower growth at first and then after stopping, growing "normally" again (which might mean I'm pregnant longer now?). At the 20-week ultrasound, everything looked fine.

  3. Tooby #4

    Oh, what a relief! (That you didn't stop on your own, haha).
    You can always contact your doctor if you want, with those questions, but you can also check Google to see what people are saying. There was a site... but my memory is failing me right now.

    If everything looks normal, then it's probably fine, especially since it's visible at 20 weeks. The embryo really starts growing after implantation, so a slightly later implantation isn't a problem. Some women only implant 2 days before their period was due!
    If it took longer, the implantation would fail, and that didn't happen with you.

    So try to enjoy it (easier said than done, but still!). The midwife has experience with proportionally small-looking babies, and if there's anything to worry about, they'll let you know.

  4. Meis started this #5

    Thank you for your detailed response!
    So a gestation period of 28 days or so is not possible?
    Yes exactly, I just have to trust that everything is okay. It seems to me that if the embryo/fetus had grown too slowly up to 7 weeks, it would have been visible on the ultrasound and the subsequent ultrasounds (that there would also have been delayed growth after that), and not that it would suddenly start growing “normally” afterwards...
    It keeps me occupied with all this

  5. Tooby #6

    Implantation takes between 5 and 12 days, so between ovulation and implantation. I think implantation happens right away and doesn't take much time.
    I also assume they can see that on the ultrasound, they're professional enough, haha, but if you're worried, you can always ask your midwife because that's what they're there for, to guide you stress-free!

  6. Anoniem Guest #7

    Before I was pregnant, I already stopped taking antidepressants. I can imagine you're startled to find out you're pregnant, especially since you're on medication.
    Abruptly stopping isn't good either; normally you should taper off gradually.
    Did you read that you're no longer under the care of a doctor?
    It would be good to get back in touch with your GP so you can be referred to a psychiatrist at the maternity clinic. I found it really helpful that if I didn't feel okay, I could always fall back on the maternity clinic. They follow you if needed, and if you need to be on medication again, they know the pros and cons. Pregnancy can do a lot to your hormones. I'm now almost 38 weeks pregnant and luckily everything is going well, and if needed, I can contact the maternity clinic. It's definitely useful for after the birth too.

  7. Anoniem Guest #8

    If everything looked good on the 20-week ultrasound, I wouldn't worry. You can always discuss your concerns with your midwife and also at the pediatric clinic.

  8. Meis Guest #9

    Yes, I'm under the care of the pediatrician. But I wonder if I'll benefit much from it. I found stopping the medication quite intense, especially in combination with those hormones. But there's no other way right now. Sometimes I wonder what influence the medication had on the fetus.

    Also, does anyone know if it's possible that an embryo/fetus can grow slowly in the beginning (first trimester) due to the medication, and then grow normally again after I stopped? Or is this a very unlikely idea, and did the delayed growth continue?

  9. Stef #10

    Does it still matter? Everything is fine, right? Or do you have any doubts about something? Big congratulations on your pregnancy xxx

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