Mirtazapine
What is it?
Mirtazapine is mainly used to treat depression and mood disorders.
Benefits
What are the benefits of taking mirtazapine in pregnancy?
Mirtazapine can improve mood and feelings of wellbeing. It is very important that mental health problems are appropriately treated to ensure a woman is well during pregnancy and while looking after her baby.
Risks
Are there any risks of taking mirtazapine during pregnancy?
There is no evidence that use of mirtazapine in pregnancy causes birth defects, preterm birth, or low infant birth weight. While the evidence for other pregnancy outcomes is also reassuring, only small numbers of women have been studied and ongoing data collection is therefore ideally required.
Alternatives
Are there any alternatives to mirtazapine?
Possibly. Other medicines can be used to treat depression and mood disorders. Some mental health problems can also be treated with talking therapies instead of medicines. However, this does not work for everyone and some people may prefer to take a medicine. If a woman’s condition is well-controlled with mirtazapine, it may be best to stay on it rather than try something new and risk a relapse.
Ideally, women planning a pregnancy should speak to their GP or specialist to determine whether mirtazapine is still the best option for them. Similarly, women who have an unplanned pregnancy while taking mirtazapine should be reviewed at the earliest opportunity by their GP or specialist.
No treatment
What if I prefer not to take medicines during pregnancy?
It is very important that mental health problems are well-controlled during pregnancy. Discontinuing antidepressant medication can cause symptoms to return, and stopping abruptly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor will only prescribe medicines when absolutely necessary and will be happy to talk to you about any concerns that you might have.
Do not stop mirtazapine without speaking to your GP or specialist.
Will my baby need extra monitoring?
All pregnant women in the UK should be offered a detailed anomaly scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of their routine antenatal care. No extra monitoring for major birth defects is required following mirtazapine use in pregnancy.
Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken mirtazapine?
We would not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father took mirtazapine before or around the time you became pregnant.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.