The treatment of depression during pregnancy brings up the concern that medications may have an adverse effect on the developing fetus.  Although most anti-depressant treatments have not been found to have a serious effect, alternative treatments are therefore valuable during this time. 

Bright Light Treatment Appeared to Work: In a 5-week DB PC study of 10 pregnant women with DSM-IV major depressive disorder comparing 7000 lux (active) vs. 500 lux (placebo) light boxes, there was a small mean group advantage of the bright light treatment throughout the randomized controlled trial, but it was not statistically significant. However, in the longer 10-week trial, the presence of active versus placebo light produced a clear treatment effect (p =.001) with an effect size (0.43) similar to that seen in antidepressant drug trials. Randomized clinical trial of bright light therapy for antepartum depression: preliminary findings. Epperson CN, et al. Yale University. neill.epperson@yale.edu. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004 Mar;65(3):421-5

No Increase in Birth Defects From Anti-Depressants: In a meta-analysis of prospective comparative cohort studies to quantify the relationship between maternal exposure to the newer antidepressants and major malformations, comparing outcomes in first trimester exposures to citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, reboxetine, venlafaxine, nefazodone, trazodone, mirtazapine and bupropion to those of non-exposed mothers, the 7 best studies (1774 patients) found the summary relative risk was 1.01. Therefore, as a group, the newer antidepressants are not associated with an increased risk of major malformations above the baseline of 1-3% in the population. Newer antidepressants in pregnancy and rates of major malformations: a meta-analysis of prospective comparative studies. Einarson TR, et al. University of Toronto, Ont., Canada. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2005 Mar 1.