Risks and benefits of any medications may have varying effects on different individuals. For example, pregnant women, at any point, are more sensitive to the effects of any formulation. Careful thought and consideration for pregnant women is made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because most of the pharmaceutical companies desire favorable, positive impression of their medication as safe to use. Others try to use alternative therapywhen they are pregnant, if only to be sure that the baby is safe. Magnetic therapyfor depression is one of those alternative treatments that have caught the public’s interest. 

Statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) indicates that women are often go through  periods of dreariness to the point of seclusion and aversion to their routine activities. Several cases of pregnant women developing depression had been observed, happening during or after pregnancy. Severe depression is the main reason why women are inclined to taking antidepressants for the whole duration of the pregnancy. But the risks associated with the use of medications for these mood shifts may prove to be unsafe for the baby when taken during pregnancy. The FDA has even categorized all medication as regard their effect on  the fetus when taken. 

The leading antidepressants now used in the market are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which affect the serotonin levels of the brain and maintain the well-being of the person to whom they are prescribed. SSRIs are often used or prescribed to pregnant women because they were believed to be much safer than earlier medications used for depression. Recent studies have led researchers to believe that there are still some areas regarding the effects of SSRIs that need to be investigated. Attending physicians are the ones who discuss the risks related to taking the drug before making the prescription. Oftentimes the benefits outweigh the risks.  

There are side effects that are prominent after the birth of the baby but there are some that may be seen only as the baby grows. How the drug affects the baby is being evaluated by the FDA. More often than not, babies develop heart and lung problems due to the use of SSRIs by their mother during pregnancy. Holes in the heart are common but may also present other malformations. A serious lung problem among newborns is persistent pulmonary hypertension. Zoloft birth defects keep women vigilant when they are using Zoloft.