Johns Hopkins researchers just discovered a link between antidepressants and autism, a finding that could prompt pregnant women to weigh the pros and cons of taking antidepressant drugs during pregnancy.
The finding gives another potential clue into why autism spectrum disorder is becoming more prevalent in the United States. Autism rates released in 2014 showed 1 in 68 children are diagnosed, up 30 percent from just two years ago.
The antidepressants in question are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), popular drugs commonly prescribed for depression and anxiety. The class of drugs includes citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), and sertaline (Zoloft). 

Looking at 1,000 pairs of mother and their children, study researchers split the pairs up into 3 groups: Children experiencing developmental delays, those with typical development, and those with autism spectrum disorder.
"We found prenatal SSRI exposure was nearly 3 times as likely in boys with autism spectrum disorder relative to typical development, with the greatest risk when exposure took place during the first trimester," says Li-Ching Lee, PhD, psychiatric epidemiologist in the Bloomberg School's Department of Epidemiology. "SSRI was also elevated among boys with developmental delays, with the strongest exposure effect in the third trimester."

So what's the potential link between SSRIs and autism?
Serotonin is critical to early brain development, and exposure during pregnancy could influence serotonin levels in a way that could cause long-term damage. Gender matters, too. Autism is nearly 5 times more common in boys than girls.

"This study provides further evidence that in some children, prenatal exposure to SSRIs may influence their risk for developing an autism spectrum disorder,” says Irva Hertz-Picciotto, PhD, MPH, chief of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health in the University of California, Davis Department of Public Health Sciences.  "This research also highlights the challenge for women and their physicians to balance the risks versus the benefits of taking these medications, given that a mother's underlying mental-health conditions also may pose a risk, both to herself and her child."
There's mounting evidence that other everyday things are triggering autism, too. Check out 10 Suspect Causes of Autism and Learning Disabilities for more information.