What ARE the risks of taking Xanax while pregnant?

Benzodiazepines such as Alprazolam (Xanax) are classified as a Pregnancy Category D drugs that have shown a clear risk of causing congenital malformation when taken during the first trimester and their use during pregnancy is discouraged unless the risk posed by discontinuation of the drug out weights its benefits.

Specifically there is an about doubling of the risk for orofacial clefts (cleft palate, or lip) from nearly 1 in 700 births to just under 2 in 700. As you are in your twelfth week there is probably nothing you can do now to moderate that risk given that Xanax should be weaned off slowly over a period of weeks or months and never quit abruptly.

There is some evidence that folic acid ( Shaw et al, 1995) can significantly reduce the risk of orofacial clefts, as can moderate intake of other vitamins and minerals, so if you've been following the usual recommendations, the risk the Xanax poses to your baby may be somewhat less.

In addition, taking benzodiazepines late in pregnancy the baby may experience withdrawal symptoms shortly after birth. These symptoms may include decreased muscle tone, breathing and feeding difficulties, and decreased body temperature. These need to be prepared for at delivery. 

However, untreated anxiety and depressive disorders can also pose risks to both mother and child. For the child these can range from: learning difficulties, slower development and possibly autism, to premature birth, stillbirth, and death during the first months. There is also evidence that maternal anxiety during gestation increases the risk that the child will develop anxiety, depression or other mental disorders later in life. I've explored many of these at my own site.

Caution: If you have been taking benzodiazepines for more than a few weeks you may become physically dependent on the medication. When a benzodiazepine is discontinued you can get symptoms similar to those of an alcoholic who suddenly stops drinking - tremors, cramps, convulsions, sweating, vomiting and rebound insomnia. Sudden discontinuation may trigger seizures. Do not stop taking benzodiazepines unless directed to do so by your health care provider.

Best wishes

Ian



NOTE: I am not a doctor, and more importantly, I'm not *your* doctor so the above advice is necessarily of a general nature which may or may not apply to you. Always consult your health provider before acting on anything you've read here. 

> Xanax w/o prescription

Alprazolam (Xanax) is a Schedule IV controlled substance. In most jurisdictions you will be arrested for possession without a prescription.

Ian

 

Omg this is so terriable i am about 15 weeks pregnant and have been on xanax the whole entire time i try not to take more then one 1mg a day but my anxiety is disableing I cant go to work or sleep or eat nothing without it not to metion i have been on them for a long time so the withdraws are terriable and I am also on methodone I dont feel this baby has much of a chance to turn out healthy I'm so scared I'll never fogive Myself.

Has your doctor told you to discontinue Xanax (alprazolam), or are you doing this yourself?

If the latter, then maybe you need to reconsider. At least talk to your doctor about the advisability of discontinuing. Your doctor may decide that an uncontrolled anxiety disorder and/or the stress of withdrawal may be potentially more harmful to your baby than continuing with the Xanax.

Best wishes

Ian

I am 17 weeks pregnant, 25 years old and I have been on xanax for 10 years now. My doctor wants me to continue taking it but only on an 'as needed' basis. I have a panic disorder and have been unemployed because of it for two years now. My anxiety isnt nearly as bad since i rarely leave home... I still get 120 1mg pills every month but i only take a very small fraction of them...

 

Still I worry so much about how my baby is... and Ive cut down to about 1 maybe 2 mgs a week 

I understand you're concerns, PixieSascha. However, there are very real potential physical risks to the fetus from maternal stress associated with anxiety and depression, so don't forgo the Xanax if you need it, especially now that you are well into the pregnancy. You might find these articles useful: http://www.anxietyinsights.info/index.cfm?search=pregnancy

I am concerned that you are house bound. Agoraphobia is often associated with panic disorder and needs to be specifically treated. Both antidepressants and/or one of the cognitive-behavioral therapies may give you better control of your panic disorder and agoraphobia than benzodiazepines alone. Perhaps something to discuss with your doctor once the baby is born.

Best wishes

Ian

I am 15 weeks pregnant now.  I also have been taking xanax for about 3 years now.  Before I became pregnant I was taking 4 mg of xanax a day.  Now i'm down to 1 mg/ day.  Sometimes I can take .5 mg/ day.  I'm very worried about the health of my baby as well.  But like you I have severe Anxiety & Panic Disorder.  My doctor wants me off of the medicine, but I'm not sure I will be able to get off of it completely.  I'm very scared too. 

Hi Nervous mom,

I sent you a message but am not sure if you got it. It would be coming from mommy to be...

I did not post on the white board but if you would like me to I will do that as well. I just came on here and am not sure how it works since I sent you a private message regarding your situation.  

 

I am currently 13 weeks pregnant. Prior to becoming I rarely took my xanax. I used to have such bad anxiety I refused to leave the house, got fired from a list of jobs, and had someone call 911 at least 5 times due to me completely panicking! At the time where I became pregnant I was finally gaining control back. I went from taking 2 to 4 mg's a day to maybe .25 mg's a week. Previously I had 5 miscarriages and was told my xanax use may have contributed to them. These losses were all at 8 weeks or prior. Now that I am 13 weeks, I have terrible anxiety again. I have my "emergency" xanax. I found myself taking small pieces on a few occasions. When I spoke with my genetics counselor she told me xanax has dependancy issues associated with it and therefore frowned upon but she had no other issues with my past use. I neglected to tell her I took a small piece the day before the appointment because I feel guilty. Obviously the genetic counselor knows everything about medicine and for her to tell me that she had no worries makes me more scared than ever because looking online I see everyone saying it is dangerous and there are issues. I am terrified now I have done something to my baby. With all of my anxiety issues I dont know what I would do if there are problems..