Aug 16 2021
New research from Hong Kong further supports the safety of maintaining an antipsychotic treatment regimen for pregnant women with psychotic disorders. In a study of more than 300,000 mother-child pairs, researchers found that prenatal exposure to antipsychotics did not significantly increase the risk for ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), low birth weight, or pre-term births at follow-up. However, researchers did find an increased risk for ADHD or ASD in children of women with a psychiatric disorder, regardless of prenatal use of antipsychotics, emphasizing the need for careful monitoring of mother and child by a trusted mental health provider throughout the perinatal period. To learn more, see the study in JAMA.