Neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with untreated and treated panic disorder.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to compare neonatal outcomes including gestational age, birth weight and hospitalization of newborns of pregnant women with treated with antidepressants and untreated panic disorder.

Methods: The study sample included 146 pregnant women (44 patients with panic disorder treated with antidepressants, 52 patients with untreated panic disorder, and 50 healthy controls). Panic disorder was diagnosed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition.

Results: The highest proportions of preterm birth (28.8%), low birth weight (34.6%) and requirement of neonatal care (25.0%) were observed in infants of untreated patients. Pharmacotherapy group and control subjects had similar neonatal outcomes. Compared with infants of healthy subjects and the pharmacotherapy group, infants of untreated patients had significantly lower birth weight and gestational age at delivery. In addition, newborns of untreated patients had higher rate of hospitalization at the neonatal care unit.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that treatment with pharmacotherapy of panic disorder during pregnancy may have beneficial effects on the risk of negative neonatal outcomes due to maternal panic disorder in the infants.