Posted by SalArmy4me on July 4, 2001, at 20:31:27
In reply to lithium and pregnancy PLEASE answer, posted by Sigolène on July 4, 2001, at 14:37:47
Viguera, Adele C.. Nonacs, Ruta. Cohen, Lee S.. Tondo, Leonardo. Murray, Aoife. Baldessarini, Ross J.. Risk of Recurrence of Bipolar Disorder in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women After Discontinuing Lithium Maintenance. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey. 55(9):540-541, Sept 2000:
"...Traditional thinking is that pregnancy may protect against recurrent major affective disorder or suicide, but supporting data are very limited. Recent reports suggest that the risk of bipolar illness is not altered. Both mania and bipolar depression are not uncommon in pregnancy, and many pregnant women have safely taken lithium..."
"...Breast-feeding infants whose mothers are taking lithium may have plasma lithium concentrations that are more than 50 percent of those in the mothers. Lithium-induced toxicity was described in an infant who was exposed to the drug in utero and in breast milk. Shortly after the infant's birth, hypothermia (34.9 degreesC rectally), hypotonia, and cyanosis developed; these conditions responded to supportive therapy. On day 5, cyanosis recurred and breast-feeding was discontinued. The infant's plasma lithium concentration was 0.6 mmol per liter, the concentration in breast milk was 0.6 mmol per liter, and the concentration in the mother's plasma was 1.5 mmol per liter. Another infant whose mother took lithium during pregnancy and lactation had no symptoms and had a plasma lithium concentration of 0.03 mmol per liter on day 6 after delivery.
Because of its potentially toxic effects in infants, lithium should be used with caution by breast-feeding women; the American Academy of Pediatrics classifies its use as contraindicated in breast-feeding women. If a woman wishes to try to continue breast-feeding while taking lithium, concentrations of drug in her plasma, in breast milk, and in the infant's plasma should be closely monitored..."
poster:SalArmy4me
thread:68957
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010701/msgs/68984.html