My husband and I want to have a baby. I've been on Zoloft for a while. I've heard that taking antidepressants such as Zoloft or Prozac while pregnant is no longer considered risky. Is this true? It concerns me to think of stopping the medication, but I don't want to put our baby at risk.

-- Darby

Recent studies looking at children born to women taking medications like Prozac and Zoloft have not found any evidence of adverse effects -- no increase in birth defects, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, mental retardation, prematurity, low birth weight or anything else the researchers could think to look for. As is true with most medications, if they are not absolutely necessary, then it is best to stop them before pregnancy. If the benefit to the mother outweighs any potential risks to the baby, as is often the case with Zoloft or Prozac, then the medication may be continued. Certainly medication like Zoloft should not be stopped abruptly or without first obtaining a doctor's advice.

This question brings up an important and often overlooked point: Anyone taking any medication regularly -- be it Zoloft for depression, blood pressure medication, or an antibiotic for acne -- should discuss this with her doctor BEFORE getting pregnant. The same holds true for women with diabetes, seizures, asthma or any other chronic medical condition. These preconceptual visits are an opportunity to change medications that may be harmful in pregnancy as well as to optimize mom's health before she undergoes the rigors of carrying a child for nine months.