There might be a link between taking antidepressants and autistic-like behaviours in your offspring, according to research.
The study, published in the journal Molecular Brain, shows that taking such drugs while pregnant can be a risk.
Antidepressants are used to treat depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Research had shown that they can cross the placenta and can be detected in breast milk however now there are possibly more effects.
Author of the study Hyunsoo Shawn Je said, ''Many human association studies have been conducted to investigate connections between antidepressant exposure during pregnancy and children with autism and attention deficit disorder (ADHD).''
He continued, ''But they have not been able to pinpoint a causal relationship.''
So what risk could this medication have?
Researchers observed adult mice born to mums who had been treated with fluoxetine over 15 days during the second trimester.
These observations were then compared with the behaviour of mice born to mothers who had only been given saline as a control.
Memory loss and social interactions were the two areas in which key differences were found.
Researchers also looked at nerve signals in the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for social behaviour.
There were impaired transmissions believed to have been caused by an overactive serotonin receptor.
This study shows an interesting link between autism and antidepressant exposure in the womb in an animal model, and it could help going forward with mums-to-be.
