Alternative Medicine

[sweetluvchild]

I take prescription medication on a daily basis dealing with anxiety, depression, mood and personality disorders. Will my meds hurt my baby? I take Clonazapam, cipralex, epival, and seroquel.

[Paxiled]

And I should add, don't panic about this.  Life is never perfect, birth is never perfect.  Life is what it is.  Just be informed and make your decisions in consultation with your psychiatrist and, if your doc seems clueless, find one who isn't.  Also discuss it with your obstetrician.  And congratulations.

[Paxiled]

Don't you have a doctor prescribing you these meds?  Almost all of them are contraindicated for pregnant women, though given how hard it is to quit them that doesn't mean quitting is workable.  The companies who make mood regulating drugs are all being sued right now for birth defects they didn't warn anyone about.  What you need to do is talk to your doctor, carefully and thoughtfully weigh the risks, and make an informed decision.  It's always better to have a child not exposed to any pharmaceutical products if you can help it, but you can't always help it.  You can, however, prepare.

[Red_Star]

Clonazepam:

"PREGNANCY: Clonazepam and other benzodiazepines have been associated with fetal damage, including congenital malformations, when taken by pregnant women in their first trimester. Clonazepam is best avoided in the first trimester and probably throughout pregnancy."

- Medicine Net - Clonazepam

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Cipralex:

"Expectant mothers who take SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) pharmaceuticals during the first trimester of their pregnancy are at a higher risk of giving birth to a newborn with serious breathing issues or PPHN, and Cipralex is an SSRI pharmaceutical.1"

"PPHN is a dangerous, sometimes fatal, side effect of Cipralex."

- Cipralex Lawsuit: Simmons Pharma Law

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Epival (valproic acid):

"Unlike many other medications, valproic acid has been studied in many pregnant women. Several studies have shown that the drug may cause birth defects in humans. Sometimes, these birth defects can be very severe, and pregnant women should not take valproic acid unless absolutely necessary.

Studies have also shown that children born to women who took valproate medications (including valproic acid) during pregnancy tend to score lower on "cognitive function" tests (which are used to test intelligence, abstract reasoning, and problem solving), compared to children whose mothers took other epilepsy medications while pregnant."

-eMedTV - Valproic Acid and Pregnancy

***

Seroquel:

"There have been reports of problems in newborns who were exposed to antipsychotic medications (including Seroquel) during the last trimester of pregnancy. These problems can include the following:

Agitation
Stiff muscles or floppy muscles
Shakiness (tremor)
Unusual sleepiness
Breathing problems
Feeding problems"

- eMedTV - Seroquel and Pregnancy