Women who take antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) early in their pregnancies have a 27 percent increased chance of having a miscarriage, according to a new study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

“Women exposed to SSRIs during early pregnancy were at increased risk of miscarriage as were women discontinuing SSRI treatment before pregnancy, and these risks were similar,” according to the study of nearly 1.28 million pregnancies in Denmark between 1997 and 2010. “Therefore, treatment with SSRIs during pregnancy should not be discontinued as a result of fear of miscarriage.”

The study was undertaken specifically to investigate whether exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in early pregnancy is associated with miscarriage.

Popular SSRIs such as Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro and others have previously been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, birth defects, preterm birth, and pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia as well as developmental disorders later in a child’s life.

Women who stopped taking an SSRI antidepressant three to 12 months before pregnancy experienced a similar risk of miscarriage when compared to women who had never taken the medication, according to the study.

The Danish study indicates that the risks may affect the fetus even if the woman discontinues taking the antidepressant when pregnant.

According to a National Institutes of Health, animal research has shown that “SSRI exposure during pregnancy can cause the same types of problems that have turned up in some human studies.”

“Plus, we know that the serotonin system is crucial for the developing fetus. And SSRIs disrupt that system,” said Dr. Adam Urato, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Boston’s Tufts Medical Center.

Serotonin acts as a chemical messenger to help regulate mood, appetite, blood vessel dilation and other vital functions, according to the NIH. SSRIs raise serotonin levels.

In August, Oregon Health & Science University published the results of a study that found that while depression during pregnancy is common – some 5 to 30 percent of pregnant women suffer from it – “there is evidence that depression during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes for mother and child.”

However additional research is necessary, according to the study.

“While there are a number of observational studies of pregnant women on the effects of medications typically used to treat depression, those studies are flawed in that they compare depressed women to healthy, non-depressed women,” according to Oregon Health & Science University. “With the evidence that depression itself can have negative outcomes in pregnancy, this comparison group does not allow us to draw meaningful conclusions about the risks (or benefits) of treatment in depressed women.”

Women who took antidepressants such as Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Effexor, Celexa, Cymbalta or Depakote during pregnancy and gave birth to a child with a congenital birth defect may be eligible to take legal action against the drug’s manufacturer. Filing a birth defects lawsuit or joining a birth defects class action lawsuit allows women to pursue compensation for their child’s medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.