Maternal Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Antidepressants Have Acute Effects on Fetal Heart Rate Variability in Late Gestation.

Prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants increases risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, yet little is known about whether effects are present before birth. In relation to maternal SRI pharmacokinetics, this study investigated chronic and acute effects of prenatal SRI exposure on third-trimester fetal heart rate variability (HRV), while evaluating confounding effects of maternal depressed mood. At 36-weeks' gestation, cardiotocograph measures of fetal HR and HRV were obtained from 148 pregnant women [four groups: SRI-Depressed ( = 31), SRI-Non-Depressed ( = 18), Depressed (unmedicated; = 42), and Control ( = 57)] before, and ~5-h after, typical SRI dose.

Postnatal outcomes in lambs exposed antenatally and acutely postnatally to fluoxetine.

Background: Approximately 1/3 of newborns exposed antenatally to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) exhibit poor neonatal adaptation. Although several potential mechanisms have been proposed, the actual mechanism has not been elucidated.

Methods: We investigated outcomes in neonatal lambs exposed prenatally or postnatally to fluoxetine (FX).

An evaluation of the ontogeny of stereoselective fluoxetine metabolism and disposition in lambs from birth to one year of age.

1. The objective was to determine the ontogeny of stereoselective fluoxetine (FX) disposition in postnatal sheep from newborn to adulthood. 2.

Variations from morning to afternoon of middle cerebral and umbilical artery blood flow, and fetal heart rate variability, and fetal characteristics in the normally developing fetus.

Objective: To determine if there are changes in maternal uterine blood flow, fetal brain blood flow, fetal heart rate variability, and umbilical blood flow between morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) in healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies.

Study Design: In this prospective study, 68 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies (mean 35 + 0.7 weeks gestation) underwent a standard observational protocol at both 08:00 (AM) and 13:30 (PM) of the same day.

The impact of maternal positive and negative affect on fetal physiology and diurnal patterns.

Background: While research has shown that maternal mood (depression and/or anxiety) can have effects on the fetus, little is known about whether maternal positive and negative affect influences the fetus.

Method: We examined fetal vascular and heart rate changes at 36 weeks gestation in 53 euthymic mothers according to their Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) scores.

Results: Mothers who reported high levels of negative affect showed reduced uterine artery flow, decreased fetal heart rate (fHR) variability, an altered diurnal pattern, and decreased uterine artery cross-sectional area compared to mothers who reported low levels of negative affect.