There is a big dilemma by doctors on pregnant women who have bipolar disorder symptoms, because of the possible harm of medication to the baby in the womb. There is the other risk of mood episodes reoccurring in the mother if she decides not to take her bipolar medication. Most doctors are faced with the difficult task of choosing between the baby having birth defects if medication is continued or the possible re occurrence or relapse in the mother if drugs are discontinued.
Most Recent Studies
It has been published in the 2007 December American Journal of Psychiatry, that it is possible for bipolar returning due to short interval in pharmacotherapy. It has been warned by the study that pregnant women with the illness who stop taking their drugs may suffer severely when the bipolar symptoms return.
Those at the Emory University and Harvard Medical School studied 89 bipolar women. All these women were pregnant or planning to get pregnant and of these women studied nearly two thirds of those taking part did not continue with their drug medications during the six months period and 12 weeks s after they conceived. The other 1/3 continued on 3 months after they had conceived. From those women who stopped taking their drugs when compared with women who did not stop taking their stabilizers, the difference is clear.
When Women Discontinue
Women who stopped their prescribed drugs doubled their chance of their bipolar coming back of at least one to two episodes of the illness. Of women who stopped their medicated drugs, these women spent nearly 40% of their pregnant time with the bipolar symptoms compared to less than 10%who continued with their bipolar drugs and were able to do their work normally.
The Mother or the Baby
According to Freeman, "By the time a woman discovers she is pregnant, the most serious period of risk for the baby fetus has frequently already passed." Stopping medication at this time even for a short period can pose very grievous risk rather than act as a protection for the baby fetus.
Untreated Bipolar -Risks
Pregnant women with bipolar symptoms can go into prenatal care risks, with nutrition problem for both her and the fetus, if bipolar are not treated. Relapses often has occurred with episodes which can be both dangerous for the baby and mother. When not treated, alcohol consumption and tobacco use increases, mother and child attachment is disrupted, and great stress to the family. Behavioral and emotional difficulty risks has been seen with children with depressed mothers.
Mood stabilizers and it's Risks
According to FDA classification, nearly all mood stabilizers like lithium and divalproex do pose high risks of birth deficiency. These two drugs fall in the category D drugs for pregnancy. They can both cause cardiovascular and abnormalities defects to the fetus.
One Final Word
Even during pregnancy, like some other mental illnesses with serious difficulties, bipolar disorder patients will require taking their drug medications. Pregnant during their reproduction years, women with bipolar do go into very high risks. This article have given some light into why you should continue with bipolar medications when pregnant - it is a better risk to take.
Most Recent Studies
It has been published in the 2007 December American Journal of Psychiatry, that it is possible for bipolar returning due to short interval in pharmacotherapy. It has been warned by the study that pregnant women with the illness who stop taking their drugs may suffer severely when the bipolar symptoms return.
Those at the Emory University and Harvard Medical School studied 89 bipolar women. All these women were pregnant or planning to get pregnant and of these women studied nearly two thirds of those taking part did not continue with their drug medications during the six months period and 12 weeks s after they conceived. The other 1/3 continued on 3 months after they had conceived. From those women who stopped taking their drugs when compared with women who did not stop taking their stabilizers, the difference is clear.
When Women Discontinue
Women who stopped their prescribed drugs doubled their chance of their bipolar coming back of at least one to two episodes of the illness. Of women who stopped their medicated drugs, these women spent nearly 40% of their pregnant time with the bipolar symptoms compared to less than 10%who continued with their bipolar drugs and were able to do their work normally.
The Mother or the Baby
According to Freeman, "By the time a woman discovers she is pregnant, the most serious period of risk for the baby fetus has frequently already passed." Stopping medication at this time even for a short period can pose very grievous risk rather than act as a protection for the baby fetus.
Untreated Bipolar -Risks
Pregnant women with bipolar symptoms can go into prenatal care risks, with nutrition problem for both her and the fetus, if bipolar are not treated. Relapses often has occurred with episodes which can be both dangerous for the baby and mother. When not treated, alcohol consumption and tobacco use increases, mother and child attachment is disrupted, and great stress to the family. Behavioral and emotional difficulty risks has been seen with children with depressed mothers.
Mood stabilizers and it's Risks
According to FDA classification, nearly all mood stabilizers like lithium and divalproex do pose high risks of birth deficiency. These two drugs fall in the category D drugs for pregnancy. They can both cause cardiovascular and abnormalities defects to the fetus.
One Final Word
Even during pregnancy, like some other mental illnesses with serious difficulties, bipolar disorder patients will require taking their drug medications. Pregnant during their reproduction years, women with bipolar do go into very high risks. This article have given some light into why you should continue with bipolar medications when pregnant - it is a better risk to take.
About the Author:
Ken P Doyle is an advocate for bipolar disorder and has a wealth of knowledge on mental illness. As an advocate he would like to share some FREE information and findings on bipolar symptoms and bipolar medication.
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