Should I take Ativan while pregnant?

I am 26 and 16 weeks pregnant. I have been taking Ativan since I was 17 for severe panic attacks. Can taking this hurt my baby? I take 2mg. twice a day.

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 18:51:28 +0100, amandadavis1
wrote:


I am 26 and 16 weeks pregnant. I have been taking Ativan since I was 17
for severe panic attacks. Can taking this hurt my baby? I take 2mg.
twice a day.

What does your doctor say?

My source lists it as a Pregnancy Category D: There is positive
evidence of human fetal risk, but the benefits from administration in
pregnant women may be acceptable despite the risk. For example, if
the drug is needed in event of a life-threatening situation or a
disease in which safer drugs would not be available.

It *does* enter breastmilk and is listed as potentially toxic to a
nursing baby.
I took ativan prior to a recent surgery and my doctor would only
prescribe it once I assured him I was no longer breastfeeding.

Nan

fairly definitely not, I was given it temporarily for bad reasons shortly
before I concieved Ada, but as soon as I talked to my regular psychiatrist
and he found out we were ttc, I tapered it off, his suggested replacement
was chlorpromazine, it's not usually used for anxiety type stuff, but it
does work in that way as well as other ways. Fortunately I didn't need it as
what caused me to need something in the first place was a bad reaction to
another drug. Interestingly the psychiatrist was not keen on using anything
in the same group as ativan, but obstetricians seemed quite happy with
temazepam. You shouldn't stop taking the Ativan instantly though as it is
addictive, so you could get bad withdrawral, I'd been taking it for about 4
days and was told to reduce by 0.5mg per day.


Anne