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.
Recent Studies
In the 2007 December American Journal of Psychiatry, it has been published that there is a possibility of bipolar coming back due to intermission in pharmacotherapy. The study has warned that pregnant women with the disorder who stop taking their mood stabilizers are very likely to suffer severely when the illness returns.
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.
Result of Discontinuing
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.
Fetus and Pregnancy
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 the Risks
Most mood stabilizers pose high risks for birth deficiency. According to Food and Drug Administration classification, divalproex and lithium fall in the category D drugs for pregnancy which can cause both abnormalities and cardiovascular problems in the baby.
Finally
Bipolar patients may be required to continue their drug intake even when they are pregnant. Bipolar women do go into high risk when they are pregnant. We have given some light at least into why you should take bipolar drugs when you are pregnant, for it is a smaller risk to take as the end result.
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