Anxiety often accompanies pregnancy. You may feel more anxious than usual or have little or no anxiety. Or you may have a panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Some pregnant women are anxious about their health, the well-being of the baby, how they will cope with labor, changes in their relationships, and becoming a parent. Symptoms include rapid pulse (heart rate), sweating (evening or night sweats), an upset stomach (nausea), vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, irritability, anxiety attacks that come and go rapidly with high intensity for no apparent reason.
You can have symptoms of anxiety at any time during your pregnancy. But anxiety symptoms are more common during the first trimester, when you may have morning sickness or feel anxious about losing the baby. Symptoms usually subside after the first trimester.
If you have had anxiety for years, it does not go away just because you’re pregnant. Your symptoms can be stressful, but there are many ways to manage your pregnancy. Your doctor or midwife, mental health specialist, and other members of your support system can help you reduce your anxiety, so it doesn’t interfere with your daily life. The signs of ativan addiction can be physical, psychological, or behavioral.
What Is Ativan During Pregnancy?
A benzoquinone is a short-acting psychoactive drug. It was first made in 1960 by British chemists Leo Sternbach and Edward Halpern. It’s used to treat anxiety disorders, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, or nausea and vomiting caused by other medications. Medically it is recommended for use during pregnancy only when prescribed by the physician. It is commonly used as a sedative and/or tranquilizer and helps rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and anxiety disorders.
Pregnant women should not be taken if they are breastfeeding or have been diagnosed with depression, liver disease, kidney disease, or lung disease because it may cause respiratory failure, heart issues, or death.
It is also contraindicated in a history of drug abuse, suicidal individuals, patients with no experience on benzodiazepines, and those who have a family history of mental disorders. Two important adverse reactions require immediate medical attention – allergy and paradoxical excitation or stimulation. Ativan can cause allergic symptoms such as rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, and swallowing. Also, paradoxical excitation or stimulation is known as the stimulant effect of Ativan. It can cause restlessness, euphoria, disorientation, violent behavior, hallucinations, agitation, and irritability.
If you are pregnant, it is not recommended to take Ativan because congenital disabilities are at risk. It is also not recommended if you have a history of drug abuse, suicidal thoughts or behavior, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other mental health disorders.
How Much Is Ativan Safe During Pregnancy?
The benzodiazepine class drugs are known to cause harm to unborn babies when used during the first trimester. There have been several reports on congenital disabilities, developmental disorders, and deformations. But there is not enough evidence to state if the drugs were the cause all by themselves or combined with other factors or conditions that already exist. For this reason, it is recommended that you seek alternative treatments for anxiety during your pregnancy, especially for those who have had a history of drug abuse.
A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2012 found that babies exposed to benzodiazepines had lower cognitive scores at one year old than children whose mothers were not taking these drugs. Other problems they found included respiratory issues, withdrawal symptoms, feeding difficulty, jitteriness or restlessness, irritability or crying, and sleep problems.
How long can I take Ativan during pregnancy?
It is recommended that you do not exceed more than eight weeks of using this drug. But if symptoms persist, there are other treatments available to you, especially with the supervision of your doctor or midwife. There are safer alternatives like antidepressants; you can talk to your doctor for more information. Studies have proven that prolonged usage of benzodiazepine drugs during pregnancy may interfere with the development of the fetus, causing severe congenital disabilities.
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Side Effects of Ativan in Pregnant Women:
You can experience sleepiness and dizziness when you take Ativan; this is why it is recommended that you do not drive or operate heavy machinery if you are taking the medication. You might also experience swelling in your feet, hands, face, or ankles; this is normal during pregnancy, and it does not mean that your body is allergic to the medication. If it is severe, call your doctor for instructions.
Other side effects include constipation, changes in appetite, dry mouth, fever, headache, heartburn, loss of coordination or clumsiness, memory problems, mood swings or problems with your mood (depression or sadness), muscle weakness, or cramps.
Several studies support the claim that there is a link between benzodiazepine drugs and an increased risk for cleft lip, which is a split or opening in the upper lip. Some findings show this drug may also increase the risk for cleft palate.
There are no conclusive studies on pregnant women who used Ativan; these results were based on animal trials. So it is still unknown if the administration of the drug during pregnancy will cause congenital disabilities to the unborn baby. Most of the findings are based on animal trials since it is unethical to conduct clinical research studies on pregnant women.
Specific side effects are known for this drug, but not all have been determined. There are still other side effects that are yet to be discovered. However, these have been identified in animals that have been given the drug.
For this reason, it is recommended that you seek alternative treatments for anxiety during your pregnancy, especially since there are other medications available that have proven to be effective in treating anxiety with minimal risks. Never stop taking any medication without consulting your doctor first. Do not try to self-medicate yourself with over-the-counter medicines or herbal supplements to help with your anxiety.
The use of this medication during pregnancy should be discussed with a health care practitioner, especially since other available treatments for anxiety have been proven effective and have minimal risks. Never stop using any drug without first consulting a physician or medical practitioner because you may risk burying yourself in severe complications that might even cost you the life of your unborn child.
It is also essential that you avoid alcohol or alcohol-containing substances while taking this medication since there is a high probability that these might react with the medicine and cause harm to the fetus inside you. Alcoholic beverages can also lead to severe side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, decreased concentration and coordination, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing, difficulty breathing, headache, nausea, and vomiting.
Always remember to let your doctor know if you are taking other medications, especially when it comes to ones that can cause drowsiness or sleepiness, such as antihistamines (for allergies like diphenhydramine), muscle relaxants, pain medicines, sedatives, sleeping pills, or tranquilizers.
You should also let your doctor know if you are taking any of the following drugs:
- Antidepressants (for example, sertraline).
- Antipsychotics (like haloperidol).
- Stimulants (such as amphetamines).
- Anticonvulsants (phenytoin) since there is a risk for these medicines to interact with Ativan.
You must let your doctor know if you have a history of alcoholism or drug dependency since there may be a high probability for benzodiazepines such as Ativan to cause an addiction. Also, inform your physician if you are taking other medications that contain alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam, lorazepam, oxaprozin, or prazepam since these can cause severe reactions if taken with Ativan.
If you are breastfeeding a child and taking this medication, then there is also the chance that your baby will be born having specific congenital disabilities such as cleft lip and cleft palate. This medication can be transmitted to a nursing infant through breast milk. There is a high probability of the baby developing withdrawal symptoms after birth if the mother continues taking Ativan while breastfeeding.
It is still not determined how this drug might affect your breast milk production or its effect on the child’s health, especially since its half-life in the mother’s body is longer than adults’.
There are specific effects of Ativan during pregnancy that have not yet been identified. However, there is a high probability of some side effects manifesting if you continue taking this medication while pregnant. These might include low blood pressure, decreased milk production, irritability, hyperactivity, drowsiness, increased heart rate, and breathing problems.
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Other Side Effects of Ativan
Specific side effects might manifest if you continue taking this medication after your pregnancy or breastfeeding period is over, such as depression, drug dependency, paradoxical reaction (like hallucinations), sleep disturbance, sexual dysfunction (decreased libido and impaired sexual performance), and memory impairment.
Since there is a high probability for this drug to accumulate in your body, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding, you may experience withdrawal symptoms like sleep disturbance, irritability, and dream abnormalities once you stop using it after your period of pregnancy or breastfeeding.
If, by any chance, this drug passes into your breast milk, then there is a high chance for your infant to experience some effects like increased sleepiness, trouble in feeding, and vomiting.
Proper use of this medication requires that you do not take more than what was prescribed by your doctor or take it earlier or later than the recommended time. Also, inform your doctor if you are experiencing any other medical problems along with this one.
A severe side effect of Ativan is that you might experience a seizure or breathing problems since it can induce the development of a paradoxical reaction. The same thing may happen if you suddenly stop taking Ativan after increasing your dosage to avoid withdrawal symptoms such as muscle spasms, fits, and seizures.
Since there has been a report about a patient who experienced episodes of psychosis, further testing is being done to determine whether or not this drug can cause such effects.
There are also reports that Ativan may cause an allergic reaction like hives, itching, and facial swelling, especially if you have a history of allergy to other medications.
Since this medication can change your brain chemistry, you may experience symptoms of depression if you stop taking it.
This medication is known to cause drowsiness, dizziness, and weakness, making operating dangerous machinery like vehicles very risky, especially since your reactions can be impaired. Avoid taking any alcohol or other medications that may act as depressants with Ativan since this may not only worsen your medical condition but also cause even more dangerous side effects.
If you experience any of these or other severe side effects, call for emergency medical attention immediately.
Side Effects of Ativan in Children and Teenagers
There is a possibility that you will have to take a dosage change if you are a child or teenager since the dose depends on your medical condition and your body weight. Before taking this medication, consult your child’s doctor and inform them if your child is experiencing any medical problems before using it.
There has been a report of elevated liver enzymes among children who took Ativan and other medications, so let the doctor know if you experience any jaundice (yellowing of the skin).
Some of the side effects of this medication in children are excessive drowsiness, dizziness, headache, insomnia, irritability, nausea, loss of appetite, sedation, sexual dysfunction (decreased libido and impaired sexual performance), slow reflexes, or poor coordination.
Other serious side effects include aggressive behaviors such as biting or kicking, hallucinations, mood changes, skin rash, sleepwalking, and weight changes.
Since some children may be taking other medications or have other medical conditions along with this one, contact the doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms: drowsiness to the point of unresponsiveness or inability to wake up from sleep, breathing problems such as slow breathing or shallow breathing, confusion, severe weakness on one side of the body, seizures (convulsions), trouble in urinating or any changes in urinary pattern.
If your child experiences any of these side effects, contact their doctor and seek emergency medical attention right away.
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How Can You Take Care of Your Mental Health While Pregnant if You Need Medication?
Many women find that non-drug treatment, such as talk therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), helps manage mental health conditions during pregnancy.
If you are pregnant and need medication for a mental health condition, there are ways to take care of yourself and your unborn child. It is essential to have an open discussion with your doctor about the risks and benefits of any medication you take while pregnant.
If you decide to take medication during pregnancy, make sure to work closely with your doctor and care team to monitor both you and your unborn child.
