Taking Anxiety Medication at Time of Conception
Anxiety medications can be given to women of childbearing age and those who are pregnant to reduce anxiety and manage preeclampsia or eclampsia as their pregnancy continues. These medications are also prescribed to treat general panic disorder, anxiety disorder and seizures. A small amount of psychiatric medications, including those for anxiety, penetrate the placenta during pregnancy, which helps to raise concerns about their safety.
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Women who are most susceptible to anxiety include those who have a history of mental issues, those who can't function well despite support and those who have an eating disorder. Those who have had trouble conceiving for a long time may also be more prone to anxiety. According to The American Psychiatric Association, anxiety medications can be readily diffused across the placenta and into the fetus. The makeup of the drug, such as the ionization and molecular weight, affects how much of the drug is passed through.
Risk
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Some prescribed anxiety medicines have little or no effects on pregnancy. They are as safe to take when trying to get pregnant as when not. However, others are known to affect pregnancy and should be avoided when trying to conceive. Some of the risks include perinatal symptoms, congenital birth defects and behavioral disorders. The baby could be aborted, suffer from malformation or growth retardation and have functional deficits. If the fetus is exposed to the medications between two and eight weeks after it's conceived, it's at the greatest risk.
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Benzodiazepines
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Benzodiazepines are the most commonly used antianxiety medications. They include Valium, Xanax, Librium, Erimin and Ativan. There is little information on their effect during contraception. According to epigee.org, some studies show that they put the baby at greater risk of developing a cleft palate and lip by 0.78 percent. Benzodiazepines are also linked to prenatal syndrome such as hypothermia, problems feeding and deficiency in the child's muscle tone. The American Psychiatric Association reviewed information on the drugs and concluded that, to minimize their potential negative effects, benzodiazepines shouldn't be used in the first trimester and should be given in the lowest dosage possible for the shortest amount of time.
Significance
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To make an informed decision about whether you should stay on anxiety medications while trying to become pregnant, the American Fertility Association says you need to weigh the risk of your anxiety against the risk of exposing your fetus to the medication. In some instances, the danger to your fetus to too great to allow you to stay on the medication. However, there may be a chance that without anxiety medication your behavior, such as alcohol use, will put your baby at an increased risk.
Considerations
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Your doctor should take into account your mental history, symptoms and prior treatment when deciding whether to keep you on the anxiety medication. Some doctors recommended frequent exercise and a set sleep schedule to help women cope without anxiety medication.
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