Adderall and Pregnancy: Can You Take Adderall While Pregnant?

When you first get pregnant, your first question would be whether you can continue taking your prescription medications. And if they would affect your baby’s well being. Such thoughts are stressful.

Many individuals use Adderall to help them concentrate and perform well. If you use Adderall to treat your Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), you should start thinking about how you will work without it for the following nine months. Adderall has been linked to birth abnormalities. Hence it is not recommended for usage during pregnancy.

What Is Adderall?

Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.

It serves to alleviate ADHD symptoms such as difficulties concentrating and keeping still, as well as issues with impulse control. Narcolepsy may also be treated with it.

This medication is classed as a central nervous system stimulant, and it acts in the brain by raising dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Concentration and mood are improved by these two neurotransmitters. Adderall is effective in the treatment of ADHD because it helps patients concentrate while also lowering anxiety.

Is Taking Adderall During Pregnancy Safe?

Adderall is not recommended for usage during pregnancy since it might result in birth abnormalities.

The hazards are rather minimal, but additional study is needed before determining if using small doses is safe. For the time being, it is advised to avoid Adderall while pregnant.

What if women take Adderall before realizing they are pregnant?

If you took Adderall before you found out you were pregnant, know that this is normal and that you will be OK. If you took a pregnancy test around the time of your missing period, the umbilical cord would not have developed yet. Therefore the baby would be safe. However, inform your doctor at once and discontinue the use of Adderall.

If you used Adderall for more than five weeks into a pregnancy, your doctor might order further testing to look for birth abnormalities. Because the danger is minor, your kid should be OK as long as you stop using the medicine as you find out you’re pregnant.

Adderall Side Effects While pregnant

Adderall might cause birth difficulties and is not recommended for a growing fetus. The following are the risks of taking Adderall while pregnant.

Birth Flaws

Pregnancy and Adderall use have been related to birth abnormalities.

Gastroschisis is a birth condition in which the baby’s intestines develop outside the body. Surgery is required to correct this.

Another abnormality in which the baby’s organs originate outside the body in a translucent sac is omphalocele. Surgery is also required to correct an omphalocele. Finally, transverse limb deficit occurs when one or more arms or legs do not completely develop.

The Impact on the Fetus

Premature delivery, low birth weight, and having a child go through withdrawal because they grew physiologically reliant on the medication throughout pregnancy are some of the unique hazards of Adderall during pregnancy. According to some data, using Adderall during pregnancy may impair blood flow to the baby.

Breastfeeding moms should avoid taking it since the medicine might transfer via breast milk. An infant exposed to Adderall via breast milk may have appetite loss, sleeplessness, restlessness, and failure to grow.

Animal testing was used in the majority of investigations to determine the effects of Adderall on a pregnancy. In lab mice, the medication was proven to induce birth abnormalities and increase the likelihood of miscarriage. Adderall also induced early delivery, poor birth weight, and withdrawal symptoms in the mice.

It’s worth noting, though, that the lab mice were getting up to six times the recommended dosage for a human youngster. Animal research revealed that amphetamine exposure in the womb produced learning and memory problems. The effects of Adderall on human fetuses are considered to be comparable to those on lab mice, although researchers have not undertaken many studies.

Reuters Health reviewed data on over 1.8 million pregnant women and discovered that 5,571 of them used an amphetamine, such as Adderall, during their first trimester. The study revealed that there was no increased chance of a baby being born with birth deformities or cardiac malformations, as opposed to the 11% of newborns that have birth problems after taking methylphenidate like Ritalin.

Complications For the Mother

Whether you are pregnant or not, Adderall has hazards. When used long-term, it may induce sleeplessness, depression, irritability, headaches, and weight loss. These sorts of side effects may be unpleasant or even harmful during pregnancy. Adderall is also very addicting.

Birth Weight Is Low

According to research, dextroamphetamine, a component of Adderall, may be associated with low birth weight. Babies born weighing less than five pounds eight ounces face extra hazards such as respiratory issues, jaundice, and an undeveloped immune system.

Conclusion

While there isn’t much Adderall-focused research on human pregnancies, pregnant moms should avoid using Adderall unless the benefits exceed the dangers. If you use Adderall and are pregnant, you should consult with your doctor about their suggestions for managing your ADHD symptoms and weaning off Adderall while pregnant.

When it comes to usage during pregnancy, the prevailing consensus is that women should avoid it since it may damage both the mother and the unborn child. Women who have been taking Adderall and who are pregnant or want to get pregnant should consult with their doctor before discontinuing usage. Your doctor may instruct you to continue taking it as recommended throughout your pregnancy in certain situations.