Trending Now - Study Dispels Fears of Antidepressants Raising Autism, ADHD Risk in Kids

WHO:

CNN - Dr. Wing Chung Chang, co-senior author of the study and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Hong Kong.

CNN - Dr. Jonathan Alpert, Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

CNN - Dr. Nancy Byatt, executive director of the Lifeline for Families Center and Lifeline for Moms Program and a professor at UMass Chan Medical School.

The Guardian - Dr. Wing-Chung Chang, lead author of the study.

WHAT:

CNN - A study reviewed and analyzed 37 previous studies involving over 600,000 pregnant women taking antidepressants and nearly 25 million pregnancies with no antidepressant use.

CNN - Maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy was initially linked to a 35% higher risk of ADHD and a 69% higher risk of autism without intellectual disabilities.

The Guardian - The study found that antidepressant use during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism or ADHD in children after controlling for confounding factors.

The Guardian - The study indicated that the risk for autism decreased to about 15% when confounding factors were considered.

The Guardian - The study found no difference in risk between high and low doses of antidepressants.

WHERE:

CNN - The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Hong Kong.

The Guardian - The research analyzed data from various studies, including those from the University of Leeds.

WHEN:

CNN - The report was published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry on a Thursday.

CNN - The FDA expert panel discussions regarding SSRIs took place in July 2025.

WHY:

CNN - Concerns about antidepressants causing neurodevelopmental disorders in children have grown in recent years.

The Guardian - The study suggests that the increased risk of ADHD and autism is likely due to underlying vulnerabilities in families rather than the antidepressants themselves.

HOW:

CNN - The study utilized a meta-analysis approach to evaluate the potential effects of antidepressant use during pregnancy.

The Guardian - The analysis controlled for confounding factors such as pre-existing mental health conditions and genetic predispositions.

(UPDATED May 15, 2026 09:53 UTC)

A new study led by Dr. Wing Chung Chang from the University of Hong Kong has found that maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism or ADHD in children when accounting for various confounding factors. Initially, antidepressants were linked to a higher risk of these conditions, but the study revealed that the actual risk for autism decreased to about 15% after considering underlying vulnerabilities in families. The research, which analyzed data from over 600,000 pregnant women and nearly 25 million pregnancies, indicates that there is no significant difference in risk between high and low doses of antidepressants.