Research published indicates that ADHD medication used during pregnancy does not cause impairment to a child’s physical or neurodevelopmental growth. Molecular Psychiatry.1 A large population-based study found that in-utero ADHD medication, including stimulants, did no harm to a child’s growth or neurodevelopment. This was in contrast to children whose mothers had stopped taking ADHD medication before conception.

Data from Danish national registers was used for the research. This data included more than one million children born between 1998-2015. 898 of these children were born to mothers who had taken or continued to take ADHD medication during pregnancy. This was the “exposed” group in the study. The “unexposed” group consisted of 1,270 children whose mothers had stopped taking ADHD medication but had taken it before conception.

Researchers found no difference in the long-term neurodevelopmental and growth outcomes between the two groups after adjusting for maternal demographic characteristics. This means that women can stop taking medication before or during pregnancy and not put their child at higher risk for neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders (ADHD or ASD); vision, hearing, seizures, epilepsy; or growth impairments.

Despite the small percentage, the number pregnant women who take ADHD medication has steadily risen over time.2, 3 ADHD medication is one the most commonly prescribed medications during pregnancy.3, 4

A recent survey by ADDitude Readers, 2.39% (1,170) of the 1,170 pregnant women reported that they had taken medication for ADHD after conception. Many of those who didn’t take medication claimed they were not diagnosed or treated at the time of their pregnancies and therefore did not have to take any prescribed medication. Only 2.58% of those who were breastfeeding took ADHD medication.

A woman may stop using pharmacological treatment while she is pregnant or breastfeeding if she decides to do so.

I quit.At the age of 33, a woman that belongs to Texas wrote a paragraph in which she manifested that she lay hold of till the delivery of adderall happened, Someone told me that breastfeeding cannot work. ” “After the birth of child I took my Job. I felt like I couldn’t do my job because of my symptoms.

“Both Adderall Ritalin and Adderall had lower rates.” Five months after my daughter was born, I presented that data to my GP. He agreed to prescribe Ritalin daily at 5mg. For two more months I breastfed exclusively, and then switched to formula for the remainder of my pregnancy. My daughter was nine months old when I weaned her completely. My GP switched me to Adderall at that point. My daughter slept like a champ and showed no adverse effects during this time.

Children’s Impact

It is difficult to decide whether to stop or continue ADHD medication while pregnant. This is due in large part to the fact that ADHD medication in utero has not been well documented. Because of the nature of ADHD, research is limited to register studies such as this one. This register study is the second largest long-term registry study to examine the effects on ADHD medication during pregnancy.

The research is also contradictory. A study shows that the use of ADHD medication during early pregnancy was affiliated with three particular birth defects.5 A study in the U.S. examined a similar finding. It found that prenatal exposure to methylphenidate, but not amphetamines, increases the risk of developing cardiovascular problems.6

Researchers found that children exposed to psychotropic medication were less likely to have ADHD than children who were not exposed. This was also true if the mother had received multiple prescriptions for ADHD medication during pregnancy.

Researchers speculate that ADHD is the only risk factor. This may be due to ADHD-specific risks.

Women with ADHD: Impact on Women

The average American woman has her first child at the age of 27.7 According to a survey, ADHD symptoms have a significant impact on women’s lives around this time.  A majority of 2 010 respondents (64% to 70%) said that ADHD affected their lives in their 20s and 30s.

Half of respondents who were pregnant stated that their ADHD symptoms had remained stable throughout pregnancy. 58 percent of women after giving birth to a child face painful  experience of postpartum depression. More than one-third of them told. attitude These symptoms lasted for over 6 months. Probably 10% out of hundred  postpartum depression lasts longer than two years which is a massive time period.

Similar results were found in a 2020 survey by the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health. Women did not report significant ADHD symptoms changes during pregnancy. However, women who stopped taking psychostimulant medication experienced an increase in depressive symptoms after giving birth. Women who changed their ADHD medication schedule or kept the same prescriptions did not experience significant changes in their depressive symptoms.

Limitations and Future Research

Researchers stated that pregnant women who depend on stimulants to function must weigh the risk of exposing their child to unknown developmental risks and the potential for financial and medical consequences for both mother and baby.

ADHD medication included stimulants (methylphenidate and amphetamines, dexamphetamine and lisdexamfetamine) as well as other treatments (modafinil (atomoxetine), clonidine).

 In many vital categories of child outcomes there are not so many differences that are reckoned to be pretentious or impacted by stimulants, such as body growth, neurodevelopment and seizure risk.

The study’s sample population of ADHD women was younger than women without ADHD. They were also more likely to smoke during pregnancy and to have children with low birth weight or preterm. This was true regardless of whether the mother had taken ADHD medication during pregnancy.

Further research is needed to distinguish between ADHD medication types, dosages, and trimesters. This study only covered diagnoses that were formally registered in the Danish register. Future research should include a larger population.