Domar says that other treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy are as good or better than SSRIs for those with mild to moderate depression. She says other options also being investigated include exercise, mindfulness based therapy, yoga, acupuncture and light box therapy.

But Wald wants to reassure women with severe depression who find that only SSRIs work as opposed to alternative therapies that they aren't doing anything wrong.

"I don't want women to be scared by this paper because fundamentally there is not enough being done for this population," she says. "I would be concerned if this information was viewed as saying there was too much treatment going on for these women, particularly too much medication treatment."

And she adds that each woman is different and needs to be evaluated by a psychiatrist or trained professional to determine if antidepressants are the best treatment option.

"They should make the best individual decision they can and not succumb to cultural pressures - make the best individual decision they can for themselves and their whole family, for all of their children," says Wald.