SSRIs in Pregnancy: What the FDA Panel Revealed About Mental Health, Medicine & Misinformation

Episode Summary

In this episode, Georgie Kovacs, founder of Fempower Health, unpacks the recent FDA hearing on SSRI use during pregnancy—an emotionally charged and complex conversation that brought together OB-GYNs, psychiatrists, pharmacologists, and advocates.

Drawing on over 25 years in healthcare consulting and six years interviewing global women's health leaders, Georgie offers a balanced, deeply informed analysis of the real conversation that took place—beyond the headlines and controversy.

This wasn’t just a debate about antidepressants in pregnancy. It was a wider reckoning with how we define mental health, how we treat it, and the pressures facing clinicians and patients in a fragmented system. From risk-benefit tradeoffs and informed consent to how “depression” is diagnosed and operationalized, this episode explores what was said, what was missing, and what we need next.

Whether you're a woman seeking clarity or a clinician striving to provide the best care, this episode breaks it all down.

Discussion Points

• What actually happened at the FDA panel on SSRIs and pregnancy?
• Are SSRIs overprescribed—or unfairly stigmatized—during pregnancy?
• Is "depression" too broad of a diagnosis?
• How do mental health diagnoses affect treatment decisions for pregnant women?
• Why is informed consent inconsistent in SSRI prescribing?
• What are the long-term risks of untreated maternal depression?
• Are OB-GYNs expected to manage too much—including mental health?
• How does limited access to psychiatrists shape treatment options?
• What does better mental healthcare look like during pregnancy?
• Should we rethink how we integrate psychotherapy, medication, and lifestyle care?

Expert Backgrounds Mentioned

• OB-GYNs treating pregnant patients on SSRIs
• Psychiatrists both prescribing and deprescribing antidepressants
• Academic researchers investigating serotonin’s effects on fetal development
• Advocacy leaders spotlighting systemic barriers to mental health care

Resources

• FDA Hearing: https://www.fda.gov/patients/fda-expert-panels/fda-expert-panel-selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-ssris-and-pregnancy-07212025
• ACOG Response to FDA Hearing: https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2025/07/statement-on-benefit-of-access-to-ssris-during-pregnancy
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Statement https://www.smfm.org/news/smfm-statement-on-ssris-and-pregnancy
• Regulatory Focus Responds: https://www.raps.org/news-and-articles/news-articles/2025/7/fda-panel-debates-label-change-on-ssri-use-during
• STAT News Responds: https://www.statnews.com/2025/07/25/ssri-drugs-fda-review-panel-antidepressants-pregnancy/
• National Curriculum in Reproductive Psychiatry (NCRP) Responds: https://ncrptraining.org/press-release-ncrp-responds-to-fda-panel-on-ssri-use-in-pregnancy/

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