I am taking Celexa (citalopram) 30mg and I am afraid of getting pregnant with this medication, afraid that my child will suffer later (autism, training disorder, etc.). What should I do?

Hello Ma'am,

What exactly is your question?

Thanks for the details.

In a situation like this, it's all about the balance! After all, almost any medication can induce some risk in certain situations for the developing baby. So, the pros and cons of using a medication during pregnancy must be weighed.

In the case of Citalopram (Celexa™), it is well known that when a pregnant woman suffers from depression, it is much better for the baby to take the medication than to suffer from the depression during pregnancy. Same thing if the mom experiences panic attacks if she stops taking Celexa™.

So why were you prescribed this medication?

Thank you for those details.

Given this situation, and since it's been less than 12 months since you started this medication, it's important to have a good discussion with your doctor and therapist (if you have one) before changing anything about your treatment. As I said, it is often much more harmful to the baby to have depressive symptoms during pregnancy than to take this medication.

So I recommend that you discuss this situation with your doctor, keeping in mind that pending your appointment, this medication can be used in pregnancy when the balance of risks and benefits is favorable to continuing the medication.

Good afternoon,

Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist