Conclusions
The advantages of prescribing antipsychotic drugs during pregnancy include better psychiatric, obstetric, and neonatal health. Although antipsychotic medications continue to be safe during pregnancy, only necessary prescribing of indicated antipsychotic medicine and maintaining the safest possible therapeutic profile is an optimal approach to treat pregnant women requiring these medications.12 The efficacy of these medications also depends on an individual assessment of the patient’s health and lifestyle. When obtaining a patient history, physicians should include a review of smoking, alcohol consumption, substance abuse, and prior and/or concomitant use of other medications. Demographics, medical comorbidities, and psychiatric illnesses have a role in the clinical outcome.13 Physicians also should consider dosage, timing, and duration of medication exposure.
A baby born with birth defects can be devastating to the mother and is always balanced against the risk of less intervention. Apart from guiding patients regarding antipsychotic medication intake, pregnant women should be educated about regular prenatal checkups, taking vitamins and other supplements, monitoring for gestational diabetes mellitus, a proper diet, and exercise. Physicians and their patients should always minimize exposure to smoking or drugs and medications, especially polypharmacy.13 A higher level of prenatal care is advised whenever a physician suspects complications, including a referral to a maternal-fetal specialist.