There are some pretty good reasons to avoid antidepressants: They’re dangerous, and they don’t work– just to name two. But for pregnant women, there’s an even bigger reason: the potential for damage to the unborn baby.

But now, pregnant women suffering from depression don’t have to face that risk. According to a new study, acupuncture can help pregnant women overcome depression. No drugs, no side effects–for mom and baby alike.

In the largest study of its kind, researchers assigned 150 pregnant women with clinical depression to one of three treatments for eight weeks: acupuncture for depression, acupuncture that was not designed for depression, and massage.

The acupuncture designed for depression provided relief for 63 percent of women, versus just 44 percent for the patients getting the other treatments, according to the study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

There are powerful meds on the market that aren’t nearly as effective. Some of them offer no relief at all–yet doctors keep dishing them out. These drugs are bad enough for the adults who take them, even leading to suicide in some cases… but they can also do awful things to unborn babies.

One new study found that babies, especially boys, born to mothers who use antidepressants during pregnancy are more likely to face developmental delays in their first 19 months. They have more trouble sitting up, more problems with gross motor function and shorter attention spans, according to the study in Pediatrics.

A 2004 study found babies born to mothers who used selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) meds during pregnancy were more likely to face problems like tremors, abnormal heart rhythms and troubling sleep patterns in their first days. Other studies have linked some antidepressants to an increased risk of heart defects.

Researchers say animal studies have found longer-term and even permanent damage after exposure to these meds during pregnancy… and are calling for longer-term studies in humans.

Women who fight depression during pregnancy shouldn’t ignore it because they also have a higher risk for postpartum depression. And even that can have a direct impact on the baby’s health. Studies have found that babies face problems with both cognitive and emotional development when mom battles the postpartum blues.

Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with the drugs OR the depression. As the latest study shows, all you really need is the ability to withstand the almost painless pinch of the acupuncture needle.

In recent years, pregnant women have been scared to death of seafood because of the possibility that some of it may have high mercury levels.

But now we have evidence that this may be affecting their health — or at least their moods.

A new study finds that pregnant women who avoid seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids are much more likely to experience depression or depression-like symptoms. The study, published in July in the journal Epidemiology, followed 9,960 women in 1991-1992. And researchers found that those who ate no seafood were 50 percent more likely to experience depression than those who ate three or more servings per week.

The researchers also note that depression during pregnancy is almost unknown in cultures where seafood is at the heart of the everyday diet. You see, your brain is composed of more fat than nerves, and of this fat the majority of it is made from omega 3 oils.

That sounds like a good enough reason to get more healthy fish in the diet of pregnant women. In fact, most of us would do well to get more omega-3 fatty acids, especially from natural sources such as fish.

Now, there are some very good reasons to be afraid of certain kinds of fish, especially if you’re pregnant. Mercury levels are a real concern, and you should avoid all fish with the potential for high amounts of this toxin.

That means staying away from swordfish, mackerel, grouper and tuna, among others.

Because of that mercury risk, the American Pregnancy Society advises limits on the amount of seafood during pregnancy, and many women think it’s better to be on the safe side and just avoid fish altogether.

But the organization’s guidelines still allows for the regular consumption of other, better, kinds of fish — so you can have your salmon and eat it too. In fact, wild salmon is one of the best natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids and is generally low in contaminants like mercury. Eat two six-ounce servings of salmon per week and take a high-quality omega-3 supplement and you should be covered.

Anchovies, herring and farmed oysters are other great omega-3 sources that carry a low risk of mercury contamination.

So whether you’re pregnant, a new mom, or just want to stay healthy, don’t avoid all fish because you fear mercury.

Eat the right ones regularly, add a supplement, and you’ll get to enjoy all the great benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re pregnant, some of those benefits will be passed along to your child.

Not only that, but these great fatty acids can help boost your mood while you await your bundle of joy.