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...According to a 2009 study by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association, up to 23 percent of pregnant women experience depression. At least 13 percent take antidepressant medication during pregnancy. But others decide not to treat their depression or choose alternatives to medication.
"Sometimes a woman will come into my office and tell me she's willing to suffer for nine months because she doesn't want to take medication that might harm her baby," says Healy G. Smith, MD, a Manhattan reproductive psychiatrist who specializes in treating women before, during, and after pregnancy.
But according to Smith, untreated depression can also have a severe impact on the health of a mother, her pregnancy, and her fetus -- as well as her child's later development. "Parenting unquestionably involves sacrifice," says Smith, "but it's essential to acknowledge the importance of maternal well-being for a child."
www.huffingtonpost.com/seleni-institute/antidepressants-during-pregnancy_b_5584992.html
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