clonazepam and pregnancy

[k56]

Hello,

Please help me.
I have taking clonazepam 0.25 mgs daily.  

for the past 9 years.  My question is, there is the possibility I may be pregnant. I am concerned this medicine may have damaged the fetus, if there is a pregnancy. I am also afraid to just stop this med without tapering for fear of withdrawl,I have too much stress for too many years a go and also muscle Twitching, and just clonazepam had help me to continue my life.and now i want too much to have a child.but i am afriad of risks.in addition i am 31 years old  Can you give me any advice.?  I'm sure there are many women  who take an anticonvulsant for epilepsy,  which I know clonazepam used for so, what do these women do?  Continue their medications or stop them?  I DO NOT have epilepsy, but have taken this medication for panic/anxiety (STRESS) disorder.

THANKYOU,

[bhups1]

Hi, "because of experience with other members of the benzodiazepine class, Klonopin i.e clonazepam is assumed to be capable of causing an increased risk of congenital abnormalities when administered to a pregnant woman during the first trimester. Because use of these drugs is rarely a matter of urgency in the treatment of panic disorder, their use during the first trimester should almost always be avoided. The possibility that a woman of childbearing potential may be pregnant at the time of institution of therapy should be considered. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Patients should also be advised that if they become pregnant during therapy or intend to become pregnant, they should communicate with their physician about the desirability of discontinuing the drug."  Taken from http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/clonaz_wcp.htm

Please visit website http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/clonaz_wcp.htm for more information.