Could using antipsychotic medication during pregnancy cause disability?

Key points

• Researchers suggest that antipsychotic medicine used in pregnancy may have little to no effect on the unborn child
• Pregnant women are often excluded from research studies, which means there is currently little research regarding the impact of medication
• Up to 80 percent of women use at least one prescription medication during pregnancy, according to Helga Zoega, an associate professor at the University of New South Wales

Using antipsychotic medications during pregnancy has little to no effect on the child, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of New South Wales.

Results suggest that there is ‘little to no increased risk of the exposure’ of antipsychotic medication during pregnancy. In this study, the children of mothers who consumed prescribed antipsychotic medication during pregnancy were not at greater risk of:

• intellectual disability;
• poor academic performance in maths and language;
• learning, speech and language disorders.

The lead author of the study, Dr Claudia Bruno, understands the importance of the study and the necessity of the results being shared.

“There’s no increased risk when taking the medication during pregnancy, not only for the specific neurodevelopmental disorders that we looked at, but also ADHD and autism [spectrum disorder] as shown in our team’s previous studies,” said Dr Bruno.

Antipsychotics are often prescribed to help with delusions and hallucinations. However, they may also be used in treatments for other conditions including severe anxiety, confusion and mania. In Australia, 10 percent of all medications prescribed in 2022 were antipsychotics.

Researchers, such as Associate Professor Zoega who is co-leader of the International Pregnancy Drug Safety Study, are aware that there is a genetic component to psychiatric disorders, hence the reasoning for using comparison groups in the study where possible.

“We already know these women are dealing with psychiatric conditions and by genetic default, their children would be more likely to have psychiatric or neurodevelopmental outcomes,” said Zoega.

Lead researcher, Dr Claudia Bruno knows that while the results are pivotal in increasing understanding about antipsychotic medications in pregnancy, further research is required to further understanding regarding medication safety in pregnancy.

“These women are typically excluded from clinical trials, so there’s a real lack of data or evidence,” said Dr Bruno.

Associate Professor Zoega also indicates that more research is required to further the understanding in the medical field of the impact of medication during pregnancy and on unborn children.

“Antipsychotics are only one class of medications, and we already know that up to 80 percent of women use at least one prescription medicine during pregnancy. Most often, there’s little or no guidance on safety,” said Zoega.

As there is still much progress to be made to ensure the safety of unborn babies when mothers need to take prescribed medications, people should be aware of other products that may cause unintended effects in pregnancy, such as alcohol.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, commonly referred to as ‘FASD,’ is characterised by a range of adverse physical, learning and behavioural effects after exposure to alcohol during pregnancy, with issues occurring into childhood and adult life.

When Sophie found out that she was about to become a mother, her life changed forever. As she found out that she was pregnant, she thought back to the nights when she’d sit down with a glass of wine over dinner and grew concerned that she had impacted her future son.

To read more about Sophie and the impact that drinking alcohol during pregnancy had on her son, have a look at this article: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder — a mother’s perspective.

Before commencing or continuing any medication during pregnancy, please consult your doctor for advice.

Are you pregnant? What are your thoughts about using antipsychotics during pregnancy?

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