{"id":630153,"date":"2024-10-22T12:46:35","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T16:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=630153"},"modified":"2024-10-25T09:41:04","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T13:41:04","slug":"latuda-and-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/latuda-and-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you take Latuda while pregnant?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adults with depression from bipolar disorder may be prescribed an antipsychotic called <\/span>Latuda<\/span><\/a> to help manage their symptoms. Latuda, the brand name for <\/span>lurasidone<\/span><\/a>, is also approved by the <\/span>Food and Drug Administration (FDA)<\/span><\/a> to treat schizophrenia in adults and adolescents ages 13 and older. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you’ve been prescribed Latuda and are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you might wonder: Is Latuda safe during pregnancy? Unfortunately, Latuda has not been studied in pregnant women, so there are no definitive clinical guidelines for this situation. Below, we’ll cover what you need to know about Latuda and pregnancy, including safer alternatives for treating your mood disorder while pregnant. <\/span><\/p>\n

Can you take Latuda while pregnant?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Healthcare providers determine whether their patients should take Latuda on a case-by-case basis. There is a lack of data on the safety of Latuda during pregnancy. Some healthcare providers still prescribe Latuda to pregnant patients if they believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Others prefer to avoid this drug during pregnancy.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Latuda is not recommended for use during pregnancy,” says <\/span>Kecia Gaither, MD<\/span><\/a>, double board-certified OB-GYN and the director of perinatal and maternal-fetal medicine at <\/span>NYC Health + Hospitals\/Lincoln<\/span><\/a> in the Bronx, New York. She points to the prescribing information’s disclaimer, which states that newborns of mothers who used <\/span>antipsychotic drugs<\/span><\/a> during the third trimester of pregnancy have been reported to experience unusual trembling and withdrawal symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Latuda withdrawal: What happens when you stop taking Latuda?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Still, when it comes to drug use during pregnancy, it’s important to seek medical advice on the risks versus benefits of stopping a medication that has been prescribed to treat a serious mental health condition. Latuda may present a risk to the developing fetus, but suicidal thoughts and <\/span>psychosis<\/span><\/a> present risks to both the mother and baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

“If one of my patients taking lurasidone (Latuda) is pregnant, then the decision to continue treatment depends on factors like the diagnosis, its severity, past medications tried, and the patient’s preference,” says <\/span>Sid Khurana, MD<\/span><\/a>, a board-certified psychiatrist and medical director of outpatient services at Nevada Mental Health in Las Vegas.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the risks of taking Latuda while pregnant?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Aside from Latuda’s known <\/span>side effects<\/span><\/a>, there is no risk to a pregnant woman who continues taking this mood-stabilizing medication until delivery. Instead, says Dr. Khurana, there is a risk of relapse if a pregnant woman stops taking her medication. <\/span>Research<\/span><\/a> clearly links episodes of schizophrenia and <\/span>bipolar depression<\/span><\/a> with an increased risk of fetal distress and pregnancy complications. <\/span><\/p>\n

Risk to fetal development is less understood since there have been no controlled studies on Latuda use during pregnancy. “There is a low risk of the medication passing through the placenta to the fetus, which can result in detectable levels in the baby’s circulatory system,” Dr. Khurana says. <\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What you should know about taking medicine while pregnant<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Suppose traces of lurasidone did make it into the infant’s bloodstream. In that case, your newborn is at risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms “such as agitation, abnormal muscle tone, tremor, sleepiness, severe difficulty breathing and feeding issues,” he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, it is important to take a team approach to making decisions about how to manage bipolar depression or schizophrenia while pregnant. A pregnant person and their healthcare provider should work together to weigh the potential benefits against possible adverse effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can you take Latuda while breastfeeding?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is very little data on <\/span>Latuda and lactation<\/span><\/a>. No studies have been done. However, in a single <\/span>case report<\/span><\/a> of a breastfeeding mother who took lurasidone, there was no immediate effect on the infant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, one report does not provide enough information to inform clinical guidelines. Dr. Gaither recommends that women avoid breastfeeding while taking Latuda since there is a possibility that the drug might pass into breast milk and impact the baby. <\/span><\/p>\n

The FDA’s official stance is that a breastfeeding mother should consult with a healthcare professional to determine if breastfeeding and Latuda use are a smart, safe combination. There are many factors to consider in this type of shared decision, including: <\/span><\/p>\n