Pregnancy and Mood Stabilizing Drugs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pregnancy and Mood Stabilizing Drugs - Essay Example From this study it is clear that drugs commonly prescribed for patients with depression or to bipolar disorder patients include valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine and lithium carbonate, all of which pose risks for the growing foetus. Based on various studies, it was found out that sodium valproate and carbamazepine pose highest risks for malformation or defects, reaching up to 7.2% increase in risks. Despite the possibilities for birth defects, most studies support the idea of continuing mood-stabilising medications all throughout pregnancy to reduce the likelihood of relapse or recurrence of manic or depressive episodes. This is because the benefits of using medications outweigh greater risks of psychotic episodes for the mother, resulting to suicidal attempts or infanticide, as well as bonding and attachment issues between the infant and the mother. Due to these, it is highly-recommended by psychiatrists that women of child bearing-age diagnosed with bipolar disorder or other re lated disorders regardless of relationship status or plans of getting pregnant must be well-informed of the risks in taking mood-stabilising medications and other prescriptions during pregnancy. In order to successfully achieve these goals, it is imperative that psychiatrists must strike a balance between medication use and outweighing the risks for foetal and infant malformation in women taking prescription drugs. Studies conducted during the 1970’s when psychotropic drugs were still subjected to tests revealed that the use of such drugs caused birth defects in infants, whose mothers were using medications while pregnant.