Hong Kong Review of 25 Million Pregnancies Clears Antidepressants in Autism Risk
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 27
Hong Kong Review of 25 Million Pregnancies Clears Antidepressants in Autism Risk
3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 27
A University of Hong Kong meta-analysis of 37 studies covering more than 25 million pregnancies found autism and ADHD risk tracked parental depression history, not antidepressant use during pregnancy.
When researchers adjusted for confounders such as family neurodevelopmental history and maternal mental illness, the apparent link between prenatal antidepressant exposure and child autism disappeared.
Paternal antidepressant use during gestation was also tied to higher autism and ADHD diagnoses, a pattern the authors said points to shared genetic or familial factors rather than drug effects.
Published in The Lancet, the review supports current guidance to continue antidepressants in pregnancy when clinically needed, amid long-running concern fueled by a 2015 Canadian study.
The findings carry clinical weight because untreated depression in pregnancy can be dangerous; suicide is the second-leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States.
Parental genes or antidepressants: what is the true source of a child’s neurodevelopmental risk?
If parental depression is the key risk, how must we transform prenatal care for future generations?
Landmark 2026 Study: Antidepressants in Pregnancy Not Linked to Autism or ADHD in Children When Confounding Factors Are Controlled
Overview
A major new systematic review and meta-analysis published in May 2026 by the University of Hong Kong brings important reassurance for expectant mothers. By pooling data from 37 studies and nearly 650,000 pregnancies with antidepressant use, the research found no clear link between taking antidepressants during pregnancy and an increased risk of autism or ADHD in children. This result comes after rigorous adjustments for confounding factors, addressing the limitations of earlier studies that had smaller sample sizes and less control for other influences. The findings provide strong evidence to support informed decisions about antidepressant use in pregnancy.