ADHD Drugs Associated With Modest Risks During Pregnancy

ADHD Drugs Associated With Modest Risks During Pregnancy

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''Although stimulants were associated with an increased risk for preeclampsia and preterm birth, "the absolute increases in risks are small and thus, women with significant ADHD should not be counseled to suspend their ADHD treatment based on these findings," the authors write.

Taken together, the studies "point to a potential increased risk of preterm birth associated with stimulant treatment," Dr. Cohen told Medscape Medical News."Our study also suggests that stimulant ADHD medications modestly increase the risk of preeclampsia. But we found no evidence of increased risk of placental complications associated with atomoxetine, which suggests that non-stimulant ADHD medications may be safer to use in pregnancy, though more research is needed due to the smaller number exposed."

"These studies provide some reassurance to pregnant women who strongly benefit from treatment with ADHD medication that the potential increases in risk for perinatal complications are modest," she concluded.

Dr. Cohen has received salary support from a research grant from GlaxoSmithKline for unrelated work. Other coauthors report receiving salary or research funding or institutional training grants from GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, UCB, Teva, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Takeda, Bayer, Asisa, Pacira, Baxalta, Optum, and Merck. None of the other researchers or commentators have disclosed relevant financial relationships.

Pediatrics. Published online November 1, 2017. Abstract

Obstet Gynecol. 2017;130:1192-1201. Abstract"