{"id":26094,"date":"2021-05-19T09:30:37","date_gmt":"2021-05-19T13:30:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=26094"},"modified":"2024-09-25T12:56:39","modified_gmt":"2024-09-25T16:56:39","slug":"ativan-during-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/ativan-during-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Ativan (lorazepam) safe during pregnancy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Managing anxiety, panic attacks, and anxiety-related conditions can be difficult during any phase of life, but especially during pregnancy. Most of what we know about the<\/span> safety of common drugs<\/span><\/a> used to treat anxiety in expectant moms is observational, rather than based on well-researched evidence and studies.<\/span><\/p>\n

This holds true for the class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which are often used to treat intermittent anxiety. <\/span>Benzodiazepines<\/span><\/a>, like Ativan (lorazepam), are sedating drugs that slow down the function of your central nervous system, according to<\/span> American Addiction Centers<\/span><\/a>. They have a variety of clinical uses, including treatment of insomnia and substance abuse disorders, but they carry a sizable risk\u2014they are potentially addictive, come with a host of possible side effects, can have severe withdrawal effects, and can be easily abused.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What is Ativan?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

These risks are heightened when applied to pregnant and nursing women, who not only have to worry about their own health but the health of their babies. Here\u2019s what you should know about taking<\/span> Ativan<\/span><\/a> during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is Ativan safe to take while pregnant?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Ativan and generic lorazepam is a<\/span>\u00a0pregnancy category D drug<\/span><\/a>, which means it carries known risks to pregnant women or their babies and should be avoided during pregnancy. That doesn\u2019t mean the drug never has applications during pregnancy, but that serious considerations should be made between an expectant mother and her provider before taking it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are drugs that are sometimes used in pregnancy that fall into the D category because they\u2019re necessities for a condition that a woman has,\u201d says Felice Gersh, MD, an OB-GYN and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine in Irvine, California. \u201cYou have to ask what would happen if this drug wasn\u2019t used, or what will happen if a woman is already on it [and stops taking it]?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The mental health of an expectant mother is hugely important to the health of her baby; however, Ativan comes with some documented risks to both mother and child.<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Some studies have found that taking Ativan (lorazepam) while pregnant can lead to preterm labor and low birth weight in infants<\/b>, according to<\/span> Sherry Ross<\/span><\/a>, MD, an OB-GYN and women\u2019s health expert at Providence Saint John\u2019s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. A<\/span>\u00a02009 study<\/span><\/a> published in the <\/span>American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology<\/span><\/i> found that benzodiazepines increased a woman\u2019s chances of preterm labor and poor perinatal outcomes, including low birth weight and low <\/span>Apgar scores<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Taking Ativan in the first trimester has been associated with a slight increase in birth defects<\/b>, including cleft lip and cleft palate, says Dr. Gersh. (The risk is<\/span> small but does appear to exist<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Infants whose mothers used Ativan during pregnancy have a higher risk of neurological impairments. <\/b>\u201c[Ativan use can] cause <\/span>floppy infant syndrome<\/span><\/a>, which includes apnea, feeding difficulties, hypothermia, muscle weakness, tremors, jitteriness, respiratory depression, and impaired metabolic response to cold stress,\u201d Dr. Ross says. This may result in a complicated newborn period, including possible intensive care stays for infants.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Taking Ativan consistently throughout pregnancy or in the later stages of pregnancy can cause addiction and dependence<\/b> in expectant mothers and even lead to symptoms of withdrawal in newborns after birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    As with many category D drugs, women trying to conceive or planning to become pregnant often wonder if Ativan can cause infertility or miscarriage. Dr. Ross says there is an increased risk of miscarriage with Ativan use; a<\/span>\u00a02019 study<\/span><\/a> in <\/span>JAMA Psychiatry<\/span><\/i> confirms an association between benzodiazepine use and miscarriage, but there are complicating factors (like the insomnia and anxiety the drugs are being used to treat in the first place).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    While there\u2019s no evidence that taking Ativan can make it harder to become pregnant, it may still be best to avoid it if you\u2019re hoping to become pregnant soon. And there are certainly safer, more effective medications to take for anxiety during pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u201cCurrently there are no studies showing that Ativan can make it more difficult to get pregnant, [but] it\u2019s always best to minimize drugs that could be potentially harmful while trying to conceive,\u201d Dr. Ross explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

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