Histological changes in the liver of fetuses of pregnant rats following citalopram administration

OBJECTIVE: Depression is a dilapidating disorder, which may occur during pregnancy. Citalopram is an antidepressant drug often prescribed to pregnant women. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether maternal administration of citalopram affects fetal liver histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pregnant Wistar albino rats were treated with citalopram (10 or 20 mg/kg/day). A control group received no treatment. Rat fetal liver samples were obtained on day 18 of gestation and evaluated morphologically and histologically. RESULTS: Statistical evaluation of data showed that there were no differences in liver weight and relative liver weight between control and citalopram treatment groups. Liver histology changes (such as increases in the number of Kupffer cells and lymphocytes) were seen in the fetuses of the group receiving a high dose of citalopram during gestation. Degeneration of hepatocytes was not seen and the megakaryocyte number did not change significantly in the citalopram treated groups. CONCLUSION: This study showed that citalopram administration during gestation may have some adverse effects on the phagocytic cell population in the fetal liver of rats.