ArticleBMJ open2022
Nervous system drugs taken by future fathers and birth defects in offspring: a prospective registry-based cohort study.
Article in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Managing anxiety-related disorders from pregnancy to parenthood.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2026Review
- The influence of paternal preconception health on birth defects and head circumference: A scoping review.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- New valproate regulations, informed choice and seizure risk.Journal of neurology · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo evaluate the association of paternal intake of antipsychotics, anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and (benzo)diazepines during the development of fertilising sperm with birth defects in offspring.
designProspective registry-based cohort study.
settingTotal Danish birth cohort 1997-2016 using Danish national registries.
participantsAll 1 201 119 Danish liveborn singletons born 1997-2016 were eligible, 39 803 (3.3%) of whom had at least one major birth defect. EXPOSURE: Offspring were considered exposed if their father had filled at least one prescription in the relevant drug category during development of fertilising sperm (the 3 months prior to conception). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was the diagnosis, in the first year of life, of at least one major birth defect as categorised in the EUROCAT guidelines. Secondary outcome was the diagnosis, in the first year of life, of at least one major birth defect in any of the EUROCAT subcategories. Adjusted ORs (AORs) were calculated, along with their 95% CIs, adjusted for year, education, smoking status and age of the mother, and education, disposable income and age of the father.
resultsThis study found weak or null associations between birth defects and selected drugs. Specifically, antidepressants (17 827 exposed births) gave 3.5% birth defects (AOR 0.97 (0.89 to 1.05)). Diazepines, oxazepines, thiazepines and oxepines (as antipsychotics, 1633 offspring) gave 4.7% birth defects (AOR 1.22 (0.97 to 1.54)), attenuated to 1.13 when excluding by mothers' prescriptions. The study was well powered assuming 100% therapy adherence, while assuming 50% therapy adherence, the study remained well powered for the largest groups (SSRIs and antidepressants overall).
conclusionsAntipsychotics, anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, antidepressants, SSRIs and benzodiazepine-derived anxiolytics, when taken by the father during development of fertilising sperm, are generally safe with regard to birth defects.
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