Use of antipsychotics during pregnancy and their impact on congenital malformations and early neonatal adaptation

Abstract

Objective: Review of recent literature dealing with the effect of antipsychotic use during pregnancy on early postpartum adaptation of exposed infants and the development of congenital malformations. Results: The use of antipsychotics during pregnancy does not appear to lead to significantly higher risk of congenital malformations but may pose a greater risk for the early adaptation of the newborn (especially the risk of preterm birth and intensive care unit admission). The study to date face methodological limitations – lack of information on exact doses of antipsychotics, lack of control groups of women with psychiatric problems but not taking antipsychotics and failure to control for confounding factors. Conclusion: The available data suggest the relative safety of antipsychotics during pregnancy, provided that potential risks are known, and the woman and her baby are carefully monitored. Key words: pregnancy – childbirth – antipsychotics – congenital malformation – newborn