Use of Psychoactive Medication During Pregnancy and Possible Effects on the Fetus and Newborn

Abstract

Psychoactive drugs are those psychotherapeutic drugs used to modify emotions and behavior in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses. This statement will limit its scope to drug selection guidelines for those psychoactive agents used during pregnancy for prevention or treatment of the following common psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The statement assumes that pharmacologic therapy is needed to manage the psychiatric disorder. This decision requires thoughtful psychiatric and obstetric advice.