Psychiatric medications for childbearing women

This paper assesses the use of psychiatric medications in childbearing women who are displaying acute symptoms of a moderate-to-severe mental illness. Childbearing may affect the course of illness and alterations in treatment are often required. In particular, the paper discusses the use of psychotropic drugs (including lithium, anti-epileptic drugs, antipsychotics, antidepressants, hormone treatment and electroconvulsive therapy) and their subsequent effects on the neonate, breastfeeding, development and teratogenicity. Since approximately 7% of women of childbearing age suffer from the acute symptoms of a moderate-to-severe mental illness, or have recently had an episode requiring drug treatment, a number of important problems need to be considered in the management of those episodes.