Most common depression medications are not approved for use by women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. This leaves many women with the difficult decision of choosing between their mental health and the health of the baby.
An important 2011 study showed that TMS is safe and may provide an effective, alternative depression treatment for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Published in the Journal of Women’s Health, the pilot study treated 10 women diagnosed with major depressive disorder with 20 controlled-dose TMS therapy sessions.
The results showed that seven of 10 (70%) subjects responded positively to the treatments, with researchers reporting a decrease of greater than 50% in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17) scores. There were no adverse pregnancy or fetal outcomes, with all infants admitted to well-baby nursery and discharged with the mother.