This article will help you know if Gabapentin is safe for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
There are no adequate data on the developmental risks associated with the use of NEURONTIN in pregnant women. In nonclinical studies in mice, rats, and rabbits, gabapentin was developmentally toxic (increased fetal skeletal and visceral abnormalities, and increased embryofetal mortality) when administered to pregnant animals at doses similar to or lower than those used clinically.
In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown.
Gabapentin and Pregnancy
The answer to the question whether taking Gabapentin is safe or not during pregnancy is still not known. Some say yes while other says no. When you decide on this factor, it becomes important to find out how necessary is the use of Gabapentin for you during pregnancy? Also you should calculate the risks to your baby and you and it will depend on how many weeks/months pregnant you are. The main objective during pregnancy is to be healthy while taking care of your unborn baby. Also we cannot ignore the fact that epilepsy should be controlled during pregnancy as seizures can lead to complications in unborn child and mother. In such cases it becomes necessary for some pregnant women to go for Gabapentin therapy.
It is recommended that women who are trying to conceive or are in first trimester of their pregnancy should take high doses of folic acid that is 5mg/day and high doses should be recommended by the doctor.
If you are suffering from epilepsy and taking Gabapentin, then do not stop taking the medication suddenly as it can lead to complications to you and your baby. Do not make any changes in your dose without talking to your doctor. The studies conducted do not show any signs of birth defects in babies born to mothers who used Gabapentin in their pregnancy. There are no evidences available that support any facts that can cause miscarriage or preterm birth too.
Since there are no evidences available that help us know whether Gabapentin is safe or not during pregnancy, pregnant women are asked to get diagnostic ultrasonography done before 20th week of their pregnancy to assess the development of foetus or if the termination of pregnancy is necessary.
So if you are pregnant and taking Gabapentin or planning to use Gabapentin, speak to your doctor as your doctor can examine your current medical condition and depending on your health status he can let you know whether you can use this medication or not. You can take a wise decision with the help of your doctor so that you can be stress free all throughout your pregnancy.
Gabapentin and Breastfeeding
Gabapentin passes in the breast milk. There are no evidences available that claim that Gabapentin is not safe while breastfeeding. The manufacturers generally recommend that Gabapentin should be only used during breastfeeding if the benefits of the medications are higher than the risks. Therefore talk to your doctor to know about the benefits and risks. There are very few reports that say that use of Gabapentin by breastfeeding moms didn’t lead to any problems in infants. Normally healthy new born babies easily tolerate amounts of medication (Gabapentin) transferred through breast milk.
If your doctor thinks that Gabapentin is beneficial for you during breastfeeding, make sure you monitor your baby closely for any possible side effects. Check for signs of feeding problems, drowsiness, slow development and weight gain.
