With maternal doses up to 2.1 g/day, estimated doses for fully breastfed infants are 0.2 to 1.3 mg/kg/day (equivalent to 1.3 to 3.8% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose). An expert panel has deemed this drug is an acceptable choice for refractory restless leg syndrome during lactation. It is not known if gabapentin can make it harder to get pregnant. Sexual dysfunction (including loss of desire to have sex and loss of ability to have an orgasm) has been reported among women who take gabapentin. Does taking gabapentin increase the chance of birth defects? Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. This is called the background risk. In our study, only 28% of the women continued taking gabapentin throughout pregnancy as two-thirds of the women (66%) discontinued in the first trimester, most following pregnancy confirmation between 6 and 8 weeks’ gestation. Research suggests that women who take gabapentin during pregnancy may have a higher likelihood of giving birth to babies with malformations, such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and heart defects. While gabapentin (Neurontin) is now used in a wide variety of clinical settings — for epilepsy, pain management, restless leg syndrome, anxiety, and sleep disturbance – there is relatively little information regarding its reproductive safety. Pregnancy-related problems, such as preterm delivery (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces [2500 grams] at birth) have been reported in some studies looking at the use of gabapentin during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry to track the effects of gabapentin on the baby. Ask a doctor if it is safe to breastfeed while using gabapentin. Gabapentin pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (more detail) Your doctor may recommend that you stop taking gabapentin before you become pregnant or that you switch to a different medication. If you are taking gabapentin and you become pregnant‚ do not stop taking it without talking to your doctor. Stopping gabapentin suddenly can cause seizures‚ which can be dangerous for both you and your baby. If you become pregnant while taking gabapentin, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. In this large population-based study, we did not find evidence for an association between gabapentin exposure during early pregnancy and major malformations overall, although there was some evidence of a higher risk of cardiac malformations. Maternal use of gabapentin, particularly late in pregnancy There was an increased risk of preterm birth among women exposed to gabapentin either late (RR=1.28 [CI 1.08-1.52], p < 0.01) or both early and late in pregnancy (RR=1.22 [1.09-1.36], p < 0.001). Pregnant women and their physicians should weigh the benefits of treatment with gabapentin with the risks of potential adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with its use. Gabapentin is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analog with GABA agonist activity. Is gabapentin dangerous in pregnancy? Because the risks of taking gabapentin while pregnant in humans are not fully understood, use of gabapentin during pregnancy is determined on a case-by-case basis to determine if the benefits outweigh the risks. Gabapentin is a pregnancy category C, which means risk cannot be ruled out. What are the benefits of taking gabapentin in pregnancy? Gabapentin prevents epileptic seizures, which can be dangerous to the woman and also lead to pregnancy complications. Gabapentin can also improve nerve pain which can severely affect quality of life. If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take gabapentin while breastfeeding. It's important to keep taking gabapentin to keep you well. Gabapentin passes into breast milk in small amounts. It has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies. UK guidelines state that women who take any anti-epileptic medication should be prescribed high dose folic acid (5mg), although it is currently not known whether high dose folic acid supplementation offers any additional benefit or protective effects over standard dose regimes when taking gabapentin preconceptually or during pregnancy. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant medication commonly used to treat seizures, nerve pain, and other conditions. It works by reducing abnormal electrical activity in the brain and calming overactive nerves.>When taking gabapentin, it is important to follow the prescribed dosage and not make any changes without consulting a healthcare professional. Due to mixed findings on its safety during pregnancy, gabapentin shouldn’t be taken during pregnancy without first discussing it with your doctor. Gabapentin (Neurontin) is an anti-seizure medication that’s also used for certain types of neuropathic pain.
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