Table 2

Association between paternal SSRI use before conception and ASD in offspring

Paternal SSRI use before conceptionOffspring with ASD, nFollow-up number of person-yearsHR (95% CI)
CrudeModel 1*Model 2†
No use during the last 3 months prior to conception74736 765 205RefRefRef
Use during the last 3 months prior to conception10461 5551.62 (1.33 to 1.96)1.54 (1.27 to 1.88)1.43 (1.18 to 1.74)
Subanalysis: paternal SSRI use during the last 1  year before conception
No use during the last 1 year prior to conception74296 736 654RefRefRef
Use only from the last 1 year to the last 3 months prior to conception7139 4221.71 (1.35 to 2.16)1.66 (1.31 to 2.09)1.54 (1.21 to 1.94)
Use only during the last 3 months prior to conception2014 7381.29 (0.83 to 2.00)1.24 (0.80 to 1.93)1.17 (0.75 to 1.82)
Use both before and during the last 3 months prior to conception5735 9461.52 (1.17 to 1.97)1.43 (1.10 to 1.86)1.32 (1.02 to 1.72)
  • *Adjusted for calendar year of birth, sex, parity, mother age, father age, maternal smoking, mother psychiatric history, maternal AD use during pregnancy.

  • †Model 1 further adjusted for father psychiatric history.

  • AD, antidepressant drug; ASD, autism spectrum disorder; n, number; SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.