A prospective cohort study of antipsychotic medications in pregnancy: the first 147 pregnancies and 100 one year old babies

Effect of aripiprazole on neural tube development in early chick embryos

INTRODUCTION

Aripiprazole (ARI) is a recently developed antipsychotic medication that belongs to the second generation of antipsychotics. The literature has contradictory information regarding ARI, which has been classified as pregnant use category C by the FDA.

METHODS

125 pathogen-free fertilized eggs were incubated for 28 h and divided into five groups of 25 eggs each (including the control group), and 18 eggs with intact integrity were selected from each group. After the experimental groups were divided, ARI was administered subblastodermally with a Hamilton micro-injector at 4 different doses (1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg). At the 48th hour of incubation, all eggs were hatched and embryos were removed from the embryonic membranes. And then morphologic (position of the neural tube (open or closed), crown-rump length, number of somites, embryological development status), histopathologic (apoptosis (caspase 3), cell proliferation (PCNA), in situ recognition of DNA breaks (tunnel)), genetic (BRE gene expression) analyzes were performed.

RESULTS

According to the results of the morphological analysis, when the frequency of neural tube patency was evaluated among the experimental groups, a statistically significant difference was determined between the control group and all groups (p < 0.001). In addition, the mean crown-rump length and somite number of the embryos decreased in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control group. It was determined that mRNA levels of the BRE gene decreased in embryos exposed to ARI compared to the control group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Morphologically, histopathologically, and genetically, aripiprazole exposure delayed neurogenesis and development in early chick embryos. These findings suggest its use in pregnant women may be teratogenic. We note that these results are preliminary for pregnant women, but they should be expanded and studied with additional and other samples.

Clozapine Safety in Pregnancy: A Clinical Study

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS

Pregnant women with persistent schizophrenia and related disorders may require ongoing antipsychotic treatment, including clozapine. However, the potential risks of using clozapine during pregnancy and the postnatal period remain uncertain.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a nested case-control study using the National Register of Antipsychotic Medication in Pregnancy (NRAMP) database. Our study assessed pregnancy outcomes among Australian women diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorder and treated with clozapine (n = 14) during the first trimester. These women were compared to 2 subgroups: those treated with quetiapine (n = 53) and those not taking any medication (n = 24) during pregnancy.

STUDY RESULTS

We observed higher rates of miscarriage in the clozapine group compared to the quetiapine and drug-free groups. The clozapine group had a higher early pregnancy body mass index but lower overall pregnancy weight gain than the other groups. The prevalence of gestational diabetes was significantly higher in the clozapine group. The percentage of vaginal delivery was higher in the clozapine group than in the other 2 groups. Neonatal outcomes such as gestational age, and Apgar scores were similar across groups. The birth weight was lower in the clozapine group compared to the other 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that pregnant women taking clozapine and their babies have greater adverse outcomes compared to other groups. Clozapine appears to be associated with a greater risk of miscarriages, maternal gestational diabetes, and lower birth weight. However, the gestational age, Apgar scores, and admission to NICU/SCN were comparable between all groups.

Overcoming clozapine's adverse events: a narrative review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

INTRODUCTION

Clozapine is the gold standard treatment for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, however adverse events remain a clinical challenge.

AREAS COVERED

This review presents a narrative synthesis of systematic reviews and meta-analyses that have reported the onset, incidence, prevalence, and management of clozapine's adverse events. We conducted a systematic literature search using PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, OvidMEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception to April 2024.

EXPERT OPINION

Effective management of clozapine's adverse events necessitates multi-faceted, individualized, and shared-decision strategies. Despite a lack of high-quality systematic evidence, expert inter-disciplinary solutions are provided to help address a critical need for clinical guidance. This 35-year update offers an evidence-based framework to assist clinicians, patients, and caregivers navigate the adverse events associated with clozapine therapy.

Outcomes of long-acting injectable antipsychotics use in pregnancy: A literature review

BACKGROUND

Women with a history of serious psychotic disorders are at increased risk of disease relapse during pregnancy. Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics have been widely used to improve adherence and prevent relapse in patients with various severe psychotic disorders, but there is a lack of high-quality data from previous research on the safety of LAI antipsychotics during pregnancy.

AIM

To summarize relevant data on maternal, pregnancy, neonatal, and developmental outcomes from published cases of LAI antipsychotic use in pregnancy.

METHODS

A literature search was performed through November 11, 2023, using three online databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Case reports or case series that reported information about the outcomes of pregnancy in women who used LAI antipsychotics at any point in pregnancy, with available full texts, were included. Descriptive statistics, narrative summation, and tabulation of the extracted data were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 19 publications satisfied the inclusion criteria: 3 case series, 15 case reports, and 1 conference abstract. They reported the outcomes of LAI antipsychotic use in 74 women and 77 pregnancies. The use of second-generation LAI antipsychotics was reported in the majority (n = 47; 61.0%) of pregnancies. First-generation LAI antipsychotics were administered during 30 pregnancies (39.0%). Most of the women (approximately 64%) had either satisfactory control of symptoms or no information about relapse, while approximately 12% of them had developed gestational diabetes mellitus. A minority of cases reported adverse outcomes such as stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, low birth weight, congenital anomalies, and neurological manifestations in newborns. However, there were no reports of negative long-term developmental outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Currently available data seem reassuring, but further well-designed studies are required to properly evaluate the risks and benefits of LAI antipsychotic use during pregnancy.

Adverse perinatal pregnancy outcomes in women with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects a significant proportion of the global population, particularly those of childbearing age. Several studies have attempted to find an association between schizophrenia and obstetric complications, with varying results.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analyses was to summarize the relationship between maternal schizophrenia and perinatal pregnancy outcomes.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Web of Science and Ovid EMBASE were searched from January 2001 to September 2022 using keywords related to pregnancy, women, schizophrenia.

STUDY SELECTION

A total of 23 independent studies across 21,253 individuals with schizophrenia were identified and included in the analysis.

DATA EXTRACTION

The following data were extracted: author, year of publication, country/continent of data collection, study design, demographic characteristics, diagnoses criteria, related complications. Data were analyzed using random-effects pairwise meta-analysis and were reported as prevalence and odd ratios (OR). Statistical heterogeneity was quantified with the I2 statistic.

RESULTS

The prevalence of adverse perinatal pregnancy outcomes was represented in descending order: cesarean section (26.0 %); labor induction (24.0 %); small for gestational age (10.5 %); gestational diabetes mellitus (9.2 %); preterm birth (9.1 %); low birth weight (7.8 %); preterm rupture of membranes (6.1 %); 1-Minute Apgar Score < 7 (5.6 %); large for gestational age (5.5 %); birth defect (5.4 %); antepartum hemorrhage (4.4 %);preeclampsia/eclampsia (4.8 %); postpartum hemorrhage (3.9 %); 5-Minute Apgar Score < 7 (3.6 %); gestational hypertension (3.3 %); placental abruption (1.0 %); placenta previa (0.6 %); thromboembolic disease (0.4 %); neonatal mortality (0.3 %) (P ≤ 0.05). There was a higher risk of adverse outcomes including gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia/eclampsia, placental abruption, thromboembolic disease, preterm birth, birth defect, 1-Minute Apgar score < 7, small for gestational age, low birth weight and neonatal mortality compared with non-schizophrenia population (P ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with schizophrenia are at higher risk of adverse perinatal pregnancy outcomes. It is imperative that research efforts continue to focus on the reproductive safety of women with schizophrenia during their childbearing years.

Correction: A Prospective Cohort Study of Antipsychotic Medications in Pregnancy: The First 147 Pregnancies and 100 One Year Old Babies

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0094788.].

Prevalence of polypharmacy in pregnancy: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The use of medications among pregnant women has been rising over the past few decades but the reporting of polypharmacy has been sporadic. The objective of this review is to identify literature reporting the prevalence of polypharmacy among pregnant women, the prevalence of multimorbidity in women taking multiple medications in pregnancy and associated effects on maternal and offspring outcomes.

DESIGN

MEDLINE and Embase were searched from their inception to 14 September 2021 for interventional trials, observational studies and systematic reviews reporting on the prevalence of polypharmacy or the use of multiple medications in pregnancy were included.Data on prevalence of polypharmacy, prevalence of multimorbidity, combinations of medications and pregnancy and offspring outcomes were extracted. A descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies met the review criteria. The prevalence of women being prescribed two or more medications during pregnancy ranged from 4.9% (4.3%-5.5%) to 62.4% (61.3%-63.5%), with a median of 22.5%. For the first trimester, prevalence ranged from 4.9% (4.7%-5.14%) to 33.7% (32.2%-35.1%). No study reported on the prevalence of multimorbidity, or associated pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to polypharmacy.

CONCLUSION

There is a significant burden of polypharmacy among pregnant women. There is a need for evidence on the combinations of medications prescribed in pregnancy, how this specifically affects women with multiple long-term conditions and the associated benefits and harms.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Our systematic review shows significant burden of polypharmacy in pregnancy but outcomes for women and offspring are unknown.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021223966.

Risk of Major Malformations Following First-Trimester Exposure to Olanzapine: Preliminary Data From the Massachusetts General Hospital National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications

PURPOSE/BACKGROUND

Since its US Food and Drug Administration approval in 1996, olanzapine has been one of the most commonly prescribed atypical antipsychotics, making a better understanding of its reproductive safety profile critical. The goal of the current analysis was to determine the risk of major malformations among infants exposed to olanzapine during pregnancy compared with a group of nonexposed infants.

METHODS/PROCEDURES

The National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications is a prospective pharmacovigilance program in which pregnant women are enrolled and interviewed during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Labor and delivery and pediatric medical records were screened for evidence of major malformations followed by adjudication by a dysmorphologist blinded to medication exposure. Infants with first-trimester exposure to olanzapine were compared with controls without second-generation antipsychotic exposure.

FINDINGS/RESULTS

As of April 18, 2022, 2619 women have enrolled in the study. At the time of data extraction, 49 olanzapine-exposed infants and 1156 infants in the comparison group were eligible for these analyses. There were no major malformations associated with olanzapine exposure in the first trimester. The absolute risk for major malformations in the exposure group was 0.00% (95% confidence interval, 0.00-7.25) for olanzapine compared with 1.64% (95% confidence interval, 0.99-2.55) in the control group.

IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS

In this prospective cohort, no major malformations were associated with olanzapine exposure during the first trimester. Although these data are preliminary and cannot rule out more modest effects, they are nonetheless important, adding to the growing reproductive safety data for olanzapine.

The use of first and second-generation antipsychotic drugs and the potential to develop gestational diabetes mellitus among perinatal patients with psychosis

There is limited knowledge about the effects of antipsychotic exposure on the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women with mental illness. Studies have demonstrated an association between antipsychotic medications and metabolic problems such as weight gain and diabetes mellitus in non-pregnant patients with psychiatric disorders. GDM increases the risk of adverse maternal outcomes, including pregnancy-induced hypertension, antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage, and caesarean delivery. The National Register of Antipsychotic Medication in Pregnancy (NRAMP) is a prospective Australian cohort study that observed women who took antipsychotics during pregnancy. Data from 205 women were extracted for the final analysis and included women who took first or second-generation antipsychotics (FGA,SGA) during the first trimester of pregnancy (at minimum) and had a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder (n = 180). The comparison (non-exposed) group (n = 25) were women with psychosis who chose not to take any antipsychotic during the first trimester (at minimum). The comparison groups were not matched, although groups were homogenous in terms of sex, age range, diagnosis and perinatal status. The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that women who were exposed to FGAs, SGAs were seven and five times, respectively, more likely to develop GDM compared to non-exposed groups. When adjusted for confounding variables such as BMI and family history of diabetes, the potential of developing GDM decreased for women taking SGAs. In conclusion, the risk of developing GDM is lower in women taking SGAs compared with women taking FDAs. In addition, family history of diabetes and BMI adds to the risk.

Association of In Utero Antipsychotic Medication Exposure With Risk of Congenital Malformations in Nordic Countries and the US

Importance

Psychiatric disorders are common among female individuals of reproductive age. While antipsychotic medication use is increasing, the safety of such medications in pregnancy is an area with large evidence gaps.

Objective

To evaluate the risk of first-trimester antipsychotic exposure with respect to congenital malformations, focusing on individual drugs and specific malformation subtypes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from nationwide health registers from the 5 Nordic countries and the US and spanned 1996 to 2018. The Nordic cohort included all pregnancies resulting in singleton live-born infants, and the US cohort consisted of publicly insured mothers linked to their live-born infants nested in the nationwide Medicaid Analytic eXtract. Data were analyzed from November 2020 to April 2022.

Exposures

One or more first-trimester dispensing of any atypical, any typical, and individual antipsychotic drugs.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Any major congenital malformation and specific malformation subtypes previously suggested to be associated with antipsychotic exposure in utero: cardiovascular malformations, oral clefts, neural tube defects, hip dysplasia, limb reduction defects, anorectal atresia/stenosis, gastroschisis, hydrocephalus, other specific brain anomalies, and esophageal disorders. Propensity score stratification was used to control for potential confounders. Pooled adjusted estimates were calculated using indirect standardization.

Results

A total of 6 455 324 unexposed mothers (mean maternal age range across countries: 24-31 years), 21 751 mothers exposed to atypical antipsychotic drugs (mean age range, 26-31 years), and 6371 mothers exposed to typical antipsychotic drugs (mean age range, 27-32 years) were included in the study cohort. Prevalence of any major malformation was 2.7% (95% CI, 2.7%-2.8%) in unexposed infants, 4.3% (95% CI, 4.1%-4.6%) in infants with atypical antipsychotic drug exposure, and 3.1% (95% CI, 2.7%-3.5%) in infants with typical antipsychotic drug exposure in utero. Among the most prevalent exposure-outcome combinations, adjusted relative risks (aRR) were generally close to the null. One exception was olanzapine exposure and oral cleft (aRR, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.1-4.3]); however, estimates varied across sensitivity analyses. Among moderately prevalent combinations, increased risks were observed for gastroschisis and other specific brain anomalies after atypical antipsychotic exposure (aRR, 1.5 [95% CI, 0.8-2.6] and 1.9 [95% CI, 1.1-3.0]) and for cardiac malformations after chlorprothixene exposure (aRR, 1.6 [95% CI, 1.0-2.7]). While the association direction was consistent across sensitivity analyses, confidence intervals were wide, prohibiting firm conclusions.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this study, considering the evidence from primary and sensitivity analyses and inevitable statistical noise for very rare exposure-outcome combinations, in utero antipsychotic exposure generally was not meaningfully associated with an increased risk of malformations. The observed increased risks of oral clefts associated with olanzapine, gastroschisis, and other specific brain anomalies with atypical antipsychotics and cardiac malformations with chlorprothixene requires confirmation as evidence continues to accumulate.

Reproductive Safety of Lurasidone and Quetiapine: Update from the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications

Background: Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), also called atypical antipsychotics, are common therapies for women with a spectrum of psychiatric disorders. No systematically ascertained human reproductive safety data are available for lurasidone, and prospective data for quetiapine are limited, making decisions regarding use of these medications during pregnancy complicated. Materials and Methods: The National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications is a prospective cohort study designed to collect reproductive safety data relative to SGAs. Pregnant women aged 18-45 years, with psychiatric illness and prenatal psychotropic medication exposure completed three phone interviews during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Cases of presumed malformations are abstracted from medical records for adjudication by a teratologist blinded to medication exposure. Results: Of 2,293 women enrolled at the time of analysis, 134 in the lurasidone group, 264 in the quetiapine group, and 886 controls completed the postpartum interview and were therefore eligible for inclusion. Dropped or lost-to-follow-up participants (13%) and those currently pregnant were excluded. Participants were predominantly White, college-educated, and married (lurasidone = 88.1%, 76.9%, 77.6%; quetiapine = 89.8%, 71.2%, 75.0%; controls = 92.7%, 86.7%, 89.1%). Absolute risks of major malformations were 2.19% (lurasidone), 1.85% (quetiapine), and 1.77% (controls). Odds ratios comparing lurasidone and quetiapine with controls were 1.24 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.36-4.32) and 1.04 (95% CI = 0.38-2.85), respectively. Conclusions: No specific patterns of malformations were observed in infants exposed to the medications of interest. Lurasidone and quetiapine did not appear to be major teratogens, but further information is needed to refine risk estimates. Food and Drug Administration guidance underscores the importance of pregnancy registries. Clinical trial number: NCT01246765.

Neonatal morbidity after fetal exposure to antipsychotics: a national register-based study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the admission rate to neonatal care and neonatal morbidity after maternal use of antipsychotics during pregnancy.

DESIGN

A population-based register study.

SETTING

Information on all singleton births between July 2006 and December 2017 in Sweden including data on prescription drugs, deliveries and infants' health was obtained from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, the Prescribed Drug Register and the Swedish Neonatal Quality Register. Exposed infants were compared with unexposed infants and with infants to mothers treated with antipsychotics before or after but not during pregnancy.

PARTICIPANTS

The cohort comprised a total of 1 307 487 infants, of whom 2677 (0.2%) were exposed to antipsychotics during pregnancy and 34 492 (2.6%) had mothers who were treated before/after the pregnancy.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was admission rate to neonatal care. Secondary outcomes were the separate neonatal morbidities.

RESULTS

Of the exposed infants, 516 (19.3%) were admitted to neonatal care compared with 98 976 (7.8%) of the unexposed infants (adjusted risk ratio (aRR): 1.7; 95% CI: 1.6 to 1.8), with a further increased risk after exposure in late pregnancy. The highest relative risks were seen for withdrawal symptoms (aRR: 17.7; 95% CI: 9.6 to 32.6), neurological disorders (aRR: 3.4; 95% CI: 2.4 to 5.7) and persistent pulmonary hypertension (aRR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.4 to 3.1) when compared with unexposed infants. The absolute risks for these outcomes were however low among the exposed infants, 1.3%, 1.8% and 1.0%, respectively, and the relative risks were lower when compared with infants to mothers treated before/after the pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Fetal exposure to antipsychotics was associated with an increased risk of neonatal morbidity. The effects in the exposed infants seem transient and predominantly mild, and these findings do not warrant discontinuation of a necessary treatment but rather increased monitoring of these infants. The increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension requires further studies.

A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes after clozapine continuation in pregnancy

OBJECTIVE

While there is a general lack of evidence of the safety of antipsychotic medications in pregnancy, there is a specific reluctance to continue clozapine in treatment resistant patients who become pregnant. Our aim is to systematically review adverse maternal and infant outcomes following clozapine use during pregnancy.

METHOD

A systematic review of all observational and intervention studies which highlighted adverse maternal and infant outcomes following clozapine continuation in pregnancy was undertaken. Article selection and quality were independently assessed and PRISMA guidelines adhered to.

RESULTS

Of 481 studies identified only two studies met the inclusion criteria. Both were rated as poor quality. The first found no significant increase in any adverse maternal or infant outcomes associated with antipsychotic exposure, except an increased rate of low birth weight in antipsychotic exposed babies. The number of patients exposed to clozapine was too small for separate statistical analysis. The second study found higher APGAR scoring at one minute for the clozapine group, but the scores were not statistically different at five-minutes.

CONCLUSION

Limited evidence was found to show significant adverse maternal and infant outcomes in pregnancy following clozapine continuation.Key messagesLimited evidence to show that clozapine has adverse effects on mother and infant when used during pregnancy.Risk/benefit analysis should be done thoroughly for each individual patient regarding clozapine continuation when pregnancy is confirmed.Close monitoring of mother and infant during perinatal period when clozapine is continued.Further research is needed to more clearly define the effects of clozapine on mother and infant during pregnancy and into the postnatal period.

Antipsychotic Use in Pregnancy: Patient Mental Health Challenges, Teratogenicity, Pregnancy Complications, and Postnatal Risks

Pregnant women constitute a vulnerable population, with 25.3% of pregnant women classified as suffering from a psychiatric disorder. Since childbearing age typically aligns with the onset of mental health disorders, it is of utmost importance to consider the effects that antipsychotic drugs have on pregnant women and their developing fetus. However, the induction of pharmacological treatment during pregnancy may pose significant risks to the developing fetus. Antipsychotics are typically introduced when the nonpharmacologic approaches fail to produce desired effects or when the risks outweigh the benefits from continuing without treatment or the risks from exposing the fetus to medication. Early studies of pregnant women with schizophrenia showed an increase in perinatal malformations and deaths among their newborns. Similar to schizophrenia, women with bipolar disorder have an increased risk of relapse in antepartum and postpartum periods. It is known that antipsychotic medications can readily cross the placenta, and exposure to antipsychotic medication during pregnancy is associated with potential teratogenicity. Potential risks associated with antipsychotic use in pregnant women include congenital abnormalities, preterm birth, and metabolic disturbance, which could potentially lead to abnormal fetal growth. The complex decision-making process for treating psychosis in pregnant women must evaluate the risks and benefits of antipsychotic drugs.

Antipsychotic Use During Pregnancy and Risk for Gestational Diabetes: A National Register-Based Cohort Study in Sweden

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to study whether antipsychotic use during pregnancy is associated with gestational diabetes.

METHODS

This was a Swedish national register-based cohort study on the Medical Birth Register and the Prescribed Drug Register including all 1,307,487 singleton births between July 2006 and December 2017. Antipsychotics were divided into first-generation antipsychotics (n = 728), high-risk metabolic second-generation antipsychotics including olanzapine, clozapine and quetiapine (n = 1710), and other second-generation antipsychotics (n = 541). The risks for gestational diabetes, foetal growth disturbances, pre-eclampsia, caesarean section and preterm labour were assessed. Women treated during pregnancy were compared to women not treated during pregnancy and to women who used antipsychotics before/after but not during pregnancy.

RESULTS

The crude risk ratio for gestational diabetes for women treated with high-risk metabolic second-generation antipsychotics during pregnancy was 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6-2.9) compared to untreated pregnant women (n = 1,296,539) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.4-2.5) compared to women treated before/after pregnancy (n = 34,492). After adjustment for maternal factors including body mass index, the risk ratios were 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.4) and 1.6 (95% CI 1.2-2.1). Exposed infants had an increased risk of being large for gestational age: adjusted risk ratios 1.6 (95% CI 1.3-1.9) and 1.3 (95% CI 1.1-1.6) compared to no maternal antipsychotic use during pregnancy and maternal use before/after the pregnancy. Other antipsychotics were not associated with metabolic risks.

CONCLUSIONS

Olanzapine, clozapine and quetiapine used during pregnancy were associated with increased risks for gestational diabetes and the infant being large for gestational age. Enhanced metabolic monitoring should be considered for pregnant women using these drugs.

Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotic Medications in Pregnancy: A Review

BACKGROUND

Long-acting injectable antipsychotic medications (LAIs) are an evidence-based treatment option for people with severe mental illness. While women with severe mental illness who are prescribed LAIs can become pregnant, there is a dearth of research examining the safety of these medication formulations during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

This article summarizes available literature on the use of LAIs in pregnancy to help inform clinical decisions and guide future research.

METHODS

PubMed literature searches were completed using combinations of keywords including "antipsychotic" and "long-acting injectable" or "depot," or generic or brand names of LAIs with "pregnancy." Pregnancy outcomes were compared across studies.

RESULTS

Twelve relevant case reports of 13 pregnancies were identified. Six cases did not report any negative birth or infant outcomes, including prematurity, infants being born small for gestational age, congenital anomalies, and extrapyramidal symptoms. No cases reported abnormal Apgar scores, infants being born large for gestational age, or negative long-term developmental outcomes after exposure to LAIs during pregnancy. Cesarean section rate was comparable to the general population. Specific adverse outcomes included one infant with multiple congenital anomalies, 3 infants with minor congenital anomalies, and one infant with possible extrapyramidal symptoms. One infant was born prematurely, one infant was born small for gestational age, and 2 infants were born both prematurely and small for gestational age.

CONCLUSIONS

There is little research specifically examining the use of LAIs in pregnancy, so risks must be extrapolated from studies on oral antipsychotics in pregnancy. While the few published case reports examining LAIs in pregnancy somewhat align with research examining oral antipsychotics, these findings are inconclusive due to the inherently limited nature of case reports. Further investigation into the use of LAIs in pregnancy is warranted.

Reproductive safety of aripiprazole: data from the Massachusetts General Hospital National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics

Aripiprazole has become one of the most commonly prescribed psychotropics, making a more comprehensive understanding of its reproductive safety profile a priority. The goal of the current analysis was to determine the risk of major malformations in infants exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy to aripiprazole compared to infants whose mothers had psychiatric diagnoses but did not use an atypical antipsychotic during pregnancy. The National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics is a prospective pharmacovigilance program in which pregnant women are enrolled and interviewed during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Medical records are assessed to confirm presence or absence of major malformations. Pregnant women ages 18-45 with psychiatric diagnoses are enrolled. As of April 2020, N = 848 women who had delivered infants were eligible for analyses. A total of 158 women with first trimester exposure to aripiprazole were compared to 690 controls. For 163 infants born to women in the exposed group, seven major malformations were confirmed (4.29%), compared to fourteen of the 690 unexposed infants (1.99%). The unadjusted odds ratio for major malformations between aripiprazole-exposed and unexposed infants was 2.21 (95% confidence interval [CI] = (0.88, 5.57) The adjusted odds ratio for major malformations was 1.35 (95% confidence interval [CI] = (0.43, 4.20). After adjustment for confounding variables, the risk of major malformations after first trimester exposure to aripiprazole was not significant compared to controls. While these results are reassuring, they are limited by relatively small numbers of participants. Future analyses with larger numbers are expected to provide more of a complete and precise reproductive safety profile regarding aripiprazole use during pregnancy. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT01246765.

Severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) in pregnancy and breastfeeding: focus on second-generation long acting injectable antipsychotics

Introduction: Pregnant women and fetuses are more likely than ever to be exposed to antipsychotic drugs (APs) during pregnancy and postpartum period. Second-generation APs (SGA) are increasingly used among women in reproductive age. Key outcomes (i.e., congenital malformations, pregnancy and maternal outcomes, neonatal/infant risks, and developmental/long-term outcomes) following the exposure to APs remain limited in number and size and yield of inconsistent findings overall, particularly regarding long-acting injectable AP (LAI-APs) formulations.Areas covered: The review aims at providing a summary of current knowledge on potential risks and safety profile of LAI-APs during pregnancy and breastfeeding, specifically focusing on SGA.Expert opinion: The management of safety and tolerability of long-acting injectable AP (LAI-APs) is far from having solid scientific evidence. In fact, due to ethical reasons, there is a lack of randomized clinical trials that limits the reliability and generalizability of the available data on LAI-APs safety profile during the perinatal period, being limited in the scientific literature only to isolated case reports. Therefore, it seems to be important for the future pathways to perinatal mental health care, providing a network of specialized clinicians and systematically collecting data of pregnant/puerperal women on oral and/or LAI APs-therapy about mother and infant outcomes.

[Antipsychotics during pregnancy: a systematic review]

BACKGROUND

The benefits and risks of treatment with antipsychotics during pregnancy must be weighed up carefully and individually because antipsychotics can penetrate the placental barrier and prescription is off-label.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the risks and benefits of administering antipsychotics during pregnancy or for women who wish to become pregnant regarding teratogenic effects, risk of fetal death and stillbirths, perinatal complications, persisting postnatal impairments or disorders and gestational diabetes.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature is provided to aid the selection of psychotropic drugs during pregnancy and in determining whether to begin, continue or switch an antipsychotic treatment during pregnancy.

RESULTS

Large, well-designed and controlled studies are missing; however, most studies suggest that the group of antipsychotics seem to be safe in terms of teratogenicity during pregnancy, at least in monotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Treating mental illnesses during pregnancy requires an individual assessment of the benefits and risks. The risk of an untreated mental illness versus the benefit of a suitable treatment with antipsychotics and the potential harm to the infant must be evaluated. If certain rules are observed and a suitable antipsychotic is selected the risk to the newborn child and/or mother during pregnancy can be minimized, however, a decision about subsequent medication can only be indirectly made from the results of this study.

Association Between Gestational Diabetes and Mental Illness

The rates of both gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and mental illness in pregnancy are rising. There is an association between type 2 diabetes and major depressive disorder, anxiety and schizophrenia, thus there is a need for greater understanding of the relationship between GDM and mental illness. This review suggests that there is a bidirectional and complex relationship between antenatal depression, gestational diabetes and postpartum depression. The combined effect of both a history of depression and gestational diabetes significantly increases the risk of postpartum depression. There is an association between severe mental illness and GDM; however, it is strongly mediated by antipsychotic medications and psychosocial factors, in addition to the disease itself. Medication has a major role in treating mental illness during pregnancy and is not directly linked with GDM in either depression or psychosis. Health-care providers should be mindful of the association between GDM and mental illness to appropriately screen and treat both disorders.

Antipsychotic Exposure in Pregnancy and the Risk of Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

We have limited knowledge about the effects of antipsychotic exposure on the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Aim of this study is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess GDM risk associated with antipsychotic exposure in pregnancy.

METHODS

Systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to August 22, 2018. No restrictions to language or date were applied. Randomized, controlled trials, case-control, or cohort studies reporting GDM risk in antipsychotic-exposed, healthy controls or antipsychotic-ceased patients were included in the meta-analysis. The primary outcomes were study defined GDM, including number of events, odds ratios, and/or risk ratios (RR) with confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. The total number of subjects was 6213 for the antipsychotic-exposed group, 6836 for antipsychotic-ceased control group, and 1 677 087 for the healthy control group. Compared with the healthy controls, the unadjusted cumulative RR for GDM associated with antipsychotic use was 1.63 (95% CI = 1.20-2.22). Adjusted risk for GDM was significantly higher in antipsychotic exposure group than in healthy controls (RR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.023-1.660). The adjusted RR for GDM was similar between the antipsychotic-exposed group and the antipsychotic-ceased group (RR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.281-2.164). No significant association was found between study quality, smoking, alcohol use, gestational age, and cumulative GDM risk.

DISCUSSION

Our results indicate an increased risk of GDM with antipsychotic exposure in pregnant women, who may benefit from close pregnancy monitoring, early testing for GDM, targeting modifiable risk factors, and lifestyle modifications.

Atypical antipsychotic use during pregnancy and birth defect risk: National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011

PURPOSE

To examine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, atypical antipsychotic use among U.S. pregnant women, and potential associations between early pregnancy atypical antipsychotic use and risk for 14 birth defects.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2011), a U.S. population-based case-control study examining risk factors for major structural birth defects.

RESULTS

Atypical antipsychotic use during pregnancy was more common among women with pre-pregnancy obesity, and women who reported illicit drug use before and during pregnancy, smoking during pregnancy, alcohol use during pregnancy, or use of other psychiatric medications during pregnancy. We observed elevated associations (defined as a crude odds ratio [cOR] ≥2.0) between early pregnancy atypical antipsychotic use and conotruncal heart defects (6 exposed cases; cOR: 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-6.1), and more specifically Tetralogy of Fallot (3 exposed cases; cOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 0.7-8.8), cleft palate (4 exposed cases, cOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 0.8-7.6), anorectal atresia/stenosis (3 exposed cases, cOR: 2.8, 95% CI: 0.8-9.9), and gastroschisis (3 exposed cases, cOR: 2.1, 95% CI: 0.6-7.3).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the close clinical monitoring of pregnant women using atypical antipsychotics. Women treated with atypical antipsychotics generally access healthcare services before pregnancy; efforts to reduce correlates of atypical antipsychotic use might improve maternal and infant health in this population.

Antipsychotic Use During Pregnancy and the Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

This study aimed to review the current literature examining a potential relationship between the use of antipsychotic drugs during pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

METHODS

PubMed was searched for English language reports between January 1, 1996, and March 31, 2018, by using combinations of the following key words: antipsychotics, pregnancy, FGAs, SGAs, GDM, obstetric outcomes, pregnancy outcomes, obstetric complications, maternal complications, clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, aripiprazole, amisulpirde, ziprasidone, quetiapine, haloperidol, chlorpromazine, zuclopenthixol, and flupenthixol. Studies but not case reports, case series, or reviews published in a peer-reviewed journal were eligible for inclusion.

RESULTS

A total of 10 relevant studies that met the review criteria were examined. Data from these studies indicated that the prevalence rates of GDM in pregnant women using antipsychotic drugs and the nomedication group were 2.6% to 22% and 0.95% to 10.7%, respectively. Most comparative studies reported that antipsychotic treatment during pregnancy was not significantly associated with increased in risk of GDM. In addition, the study results also suggested that underlying maternal psychopathologies might affect the risk of GDM.

IMPLICATIONS

Findings from some studies suggesting a higher risk of GDM in pregnant women who were administered antipsychotic drugs were not confirmed by results of many other studies. The current evidence suggests no significant relationship between antipsychotic drugs, including second- and first-generation antipsychotics, and the risk of GDM.

Use of Antipsychotic Drugs During Pregnancy

Purpose of review

Antipsychotics are frequently prescribed to women of childbearing age and are increasingly prescribed during pregnancy. A small, but growing, body of research on implications for pregnancy and infant outcomes is available to inform the risks and benefits of in utero exposure to antipsychotics. This review examines the existing published research on the use of common typical and atypical antipsychotics in pregnancy and the implications for pregnancy and infant outcomes.

Recent findings

The majority of studies do not show associations with major malformations and antipsychotic use in pregnancy, with the possible exception of risperidone. There is concern that atypical antipsychotics may be associated with gestational diabetes. Metabolic changes during pregnancy may necessitate dose adjustments.

Summary

In general, it is recommended that women who need to take an antipsychotic during pregnancy continue the antipsychotic that has been most effective for symptom remission. Further study on risperidone is needed to better understand its association with malformations and it is not considered a first-line agent for use during pregnancy.

The Relationship Between Pregnancy Exposure to Antidepressant and Atypical Antipsychotic Medications and Placental Weight and Birth Weight Ratio: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Psychotropic medication use in pregnancy has been associated with altered fetal growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between placental weight and placental weight-to-birth weight (PBW) ratio, as a potential marker of placental efficiency, and medication use in a cohort of women with severe mental illness in pregnancy.

METHODS

A retrospective database analysis was carried out on a cohort of pregnant women with severe mental illness (242 singleton pregnancies) and grouped according to their psychotropic medication use. Demographic, obstetric, neonatal, and psychiatric variables were analyzed using t tests, χ, analysis of variance, univariate, binary, and multiple regression adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analysis demonstrated a mean adjusted increase in placental weight of 114 g (95% confidence interval [CI], 60.2-165.6 g) in women taking antidepressant medication and 113 g (CI, 65.1-162.8 g) in women taking combined antidepressant and atypical antipsychotic medication in pregnancy. There was also a significantly elevated PBW ratio in these 2 medication groups (B 0.02: CI, 0.006-0.034; and B 0.025: CI, 0.012-0.038). Binary regression, adjusted for sex and gestational age, showed a significant odds ratio of 4.57 (95% CI, 2.17-9.62) for PBW ratio of greater than 90% in those taking antidepressant medication, either alone or in combination, compared with unmedicated women.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of antidepressant medication, alone or in combination, has a significant effect on placental weight and PBW ratio after adjusting for confounding variables. Given that this may reflect adverse effects on intrauterine growth and have possible long-term implications for the fetus, further research is warranted to confirm these findings.

Perinatal anxiety: approach to diagnosis and management in the obstetric setting

Anxiety is common in women during the perinatal period, manifests with various symptoms and severity, and is associated with significant maternal morbidity and adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Given the intimate relationship and frequency of contact, the obstetric provider is positioned optimally to create a therapeutic alliance and to treat perinatal anxiety. Time constraints, absence of randomized controlled trials, mixed quality of data, and concern for potential adverse reproductive outcomes all limit the clinician's ability to initiate informed risk-benefit discussions. Clear understanding of the role of the obstetric provider in the identification, stabilization, and initiation of medication and/or referral to psychotherapy for women with perinatal anxiety disorders is critical to maternal and neonatal wellbeing. Informed by our clinical practice as perinatal psychiatric providers, we have provided a concise summary of current research on the approach to the treatment of perinatal anxiety disorders in the obstetric setting that includes psychotherapy and supportive interventions, primary and adjuvant psychiatric medication, and general prescribing pearls. Medications that we examined include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, sedative-hypnotics, antihistamines, quetiapine, buspirone, propranolol, and melatonin. Further research into management of perinatal anxiety, particularly psychopharmacologic management, is warranted.

Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic

INTRODUCTION

Lithium treatment in pregnancy represents a significant dilemma for women and treating health professionals alike. The complexity of risk-benefit analysis is impacted by limited information.

METHODS

A cohort study of 33 women with severe mental illness, who were prescribed lithium at any time during the pregnancy, and gave birth between December 2007 and January 2015 at a specialist antenatal clinic in Western Australia. A descriptive comparison for women who continued lithium throughout pregnancy, and those who ceased on discovery of pregnancy was undertaken examining demographic, obstetric, neonatal and psychiatric variables.

RESULTS

Women who were prescribed lithium, irrespective of whether they continued or discontinued the medication represented a high risk group obstetrically, with high rates of smoking overall (33%) medical comorbidities (54%) and antenatal complications (88%). Preconception counseling occurred in 33% of the cohort but increased the likelihood of continuing lithium in pregnancy (p = .007). Compared to those who ceased lithium, women who remained on lithium through the pregnancy had increased rates of fetal ultrasound abnormalities such as abdominal circumference >90th % (p = .005). Psychiatric relapses through the antenatal and immediate postpartum period appeared to be due to a combination of factors.

DISCUSSION

Pregnant women with severe mood disorders treated with lithium are a vulnerable, high-risk obstetric population who would benefit from preconception counseling, regular antenatal care in a tertiary center, delivery with neonatal pediatric support and experienced psychiatric management.

Clinical characteristics of maternal mental health service users treated with mood stabilizing or antipsychotic medication

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to investigate the characteristics of pregnant women who required either mood stabilizer or antipsychotic treatment. These women requiring such treatment are likely to be more mentally unwell and thus carry a higher burden of comorbidities associated with poor pregnancy outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective review investigated the common characteristics of pregnant women who were prescribed with antipsychotics or mood stabilizers under a major city's public maternal mental health service. Demographic data, pregnancy factors and prenatal care, stressors and support, concurrent medical and substance abuse problems, and ongoing maternal mental health issues were recorded.

RESULTS

Most pregnancies were unplanned. Commonly, social stressors, medical problems, and substance use were identified. The most common diagnosis was bipolar disorder.

DISCUSSION

Pregnant women requiring treatment with mood stabilizers or antipsychotics are a complex clinical population, with multiple risk factors for negative pregnancy outcome, before even considering the potential risk from psychotropic agents and mental illness itself. Obtaining reliable data about substance use and medication compliance remains problematic.

Pregnancy exposure to quetiapine - Therapeutic drug monitoring in maternal blood, amniotic fluid and cord blood and obstetrical outcomes

RATIONALE

This prospective study is the first to measure and correlate quetiapine concentrations in maternal blood, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood to account for the distribution of quetiapine.

METHODS

Concentrations of quetiapine are quantified in seven mother infant pairs at the time of delivery. Data are provided as median values, first (Q1) and third (Q3) quartiles and ranges. To account for the penetration ratio, the concentration of quetiapine in amniotic fluid and cord blood was divided by maternal concentrations. Correlations between daily dosage, maternal serum and umbilical cord blood concentrations were computed for seven patients while calculations for amniotic fluid were only available for six mother-infant pairs.

RESULTS

The median daily dosage of quetiapine was 300mg (Q1: 300mg, Q3: 600mg, range 200-800mg). There was a strong and significant correlation between maternal serum and cord blood concentrations (r=0.893, p=0.007). The median penetration ratio into fetal circulation was 0.18 (Q1: 0.16, Q3: 0.32; range 0.13-0.42), suggesting a low penetration. The median penetration ratio into amniotic fluid was 0.44 (Q1: 0.15, Q3: 0.96; range 0.09-1.70).

CONCLUSIONS

Quetiapine concentrations in amniotic fluid and cord blood give evidence that quetiapine is constantly accessible to the fetus with a relatively low penetration ratio. A high correlation between maternal serum and umbilical cord blood concentrations highlights a predictive role of quantifying drug concentrations in maternal serum for assessing drug concentrations in fetal circulation. Findings support the important role of therapeutic drug monitoring in supporting the efficacy and safety of psychopharmacological treatment strategies in highly vulnerable populations.

The Safety of Second-Generation Antipsychotics During Pregnancy: A Clinically Focused Review

The issue of antipsychotic treatment during pregnancy is subject to substantial uncertainty and some controversy among healthcare providers, specifically pertaining to second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) that are subject to a large gap in safety data during pregnancy compared with antidepressants. The amount of safety data for the use of SGAs during pregnancy is rapidly increasing, thus constantly changing the level of evidence. We performed a clinically focused review on the safety of SGA during pregnancy. Twenty-three studies provided various pregnancy outcomes for 14,382 pregnant women exposed to an SGA during pregnancy. In utero exposure to aripiprazole, olanzapine, and quetiapine is not associated with increased risks of major congenital malformations, whereas risperidone and paliperidone may be associated with a very minor increased risk of congenital malformations. Safety data on ziprasidone and clozapine remain scarce and insufficient for a quantitative safety evaluation. No or minimal safety data are available for amisulpride, asenapine, lurasidone, and sertindole. For other pregnancy outcomes of interest, e.g. miscarriage, stillbirth, and small for gestational age, the available data overall do not suggest a clinically important increased risk, and do not allow for a meaningful stratification on individual drug level. Furthermore, for neonatal adaption and childhood neurodevelopment, the data do not allow for a meaningful risk assessment. It is imperative that factors in addition to safety data, e.g. individual disease history, characteristics and treatment response, adverse reaction profile, and patient preferences, be considered for the individual patient when choosing specific SGA treatment during pregnancy.

Aripiprazole use during pregnancy, peripartum and lactation. A systematic literature search and review to inform clinical practice

BACKGROUND

Aripiprazole is used relatively frequently in women with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in childbearing years, owing to its efficacy and relatively favorable side effect profile. As is the case for other psychotropic medications, for ethical reasons, no prospective randomized placebo controlled trial to assess aripiprazole safety during pregnancy has ever been conducted. However, animal data are available and the amount of exposure and outcome data for human fetuses and infants has recently increased, providing published prospective safety data in relatively large numbers of pregnant women treated with aripiprazole. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic literature search and review to critically evaluate the available data on the use of aripiprazole during pregnancy, peripartum and lactation.

METHODS

PubMed, PsychInfo, and Cochrane Library were searched using the following search builder: (pregnancy OR pregnant OR gestation OR malformations OR perinatal OR reproduction OR organogenesis OR delivery OR breast-feeding OR lactation or peripartum or obstetric) AND aripiprazole. Reports that met the following pre-defined criteria were included in the present review: (1) published in English language in a peer-reviewed journal; (2) clearly defined use of aripiprazole during pregnancy and/or lactation and/or postpartum; (3) case report, case series, prospective, retrospective or cross-sectional studies. United States and European Medicine Agency prescribing information for aripiprazole were consulted as well and all the references of selected papers were cross checked for information pertaining to the use of aripiprazole during pregnancy, peripartum and lactation.

RESULTS

A total of 549 items published in a period ranging from 1995 to 2017, were retrieved from the search databases and reference cross check. One-hundred-fifty-three duplicate items were removed, 176 titles were deemed as not pertinent, 220 abstracts and 122 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and 93 titles were included for qualitative synthesis. United States and European Medicine Agency prescribing information for aripiprazole were consulted and the selected manuscript references were cross checked. No randomized placebo controlled trial was found but relatively large prospective studies, large database studies, and several case reports and case studies were identified and summarized.

CONCLUSIONS

As is the case for other antipsychotics, definitive evidence on aripiprazole reproductive safety is lacking, but newer safety data are relatively reassuring. In many cases, the potential benefits of aripiprazole for patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia outweigh the potential risks.

Adverse obstetric outcomes during delivery hospitalizations complicated by suicidal behavior among US pregnant women

Objective

The effects of suicidal behavior on obstetric outcomes remain dangerously unquantified. We sought to report on the risk of adverse obstetric outcomes for US women with suicidal behavior at the time of delivery.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional analysis of delivery hospitalizations from 2007–2012 National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample. From the same hospitalization record, International Classification of Diseases codes were used to identify suicidal behavior and adverse obstetric outcomes. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained using logistic regression.

Results

Of the 23,507,597 delivery hospitalizations, 2,180 were complicated by suicidal behavior. Women with suicidal behavior were at a heightened risk for outcomes including antepartum hemorrhage (aOR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.47–3.74), placental abruption (aOR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.17–3.66), postpartum hemorrhage (aOR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.61–3.37), premature delivery (aOR = 3.08; 95% CI: 2.43–3.90), stillbirth (aOR = 10.73; 95% CI: 7.41–15.56), poor fetal growth (aOR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.10–2.62), and fetal anomalies (aOR = 3.72; 95% CI: 2.57–5.40). No significant association was observed for maternal suicidal behavior with cesarean delivery, induction of labor, premature rupture of membranes, excessive fetal growth, and fetal distress. The mean length of stay was longer for women with suicidal behavior.

Conclusion

During delivery hospitalization, women with suicidal behavior are at increased risk for many adverse obstetric outcomes, highlighting the importance of screening for and providing appropriate clinical care for women with suicidal behavior during pregnancy.

Antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia: synthesis of world-wide guidelines and integrated recommendations for assessment, management and future research

RATIONALE

Hyperprolactinemia is a highly prevalent adverse effect of many antipsychotic agents, with potentially serious health consequences. Several guidelines have been developed for the management of this condition; yet, their concordance has not been evaluated.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this paper were (1) to review current clinical guidelines; (2) to review key systematic evidence for management; and (3) based on our findings, to develop an integrated management recommendation specific to male and female patients who are otherwise clinically stabilised on antipsychotics.

METHODS

We performed searches of Medline and EMBASE, supplemented with guideline-specific database and general web searches, to identify clinical guidelines containing specific recommendations for antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia, produced/updated 01/01/2010-15/09/2016. A separate systematic search was performed to identify emerging management approaches described in reviews and meta-analyses published ≥ 2010.

RESULTS

There is some consensus among guidelines relating to baseline PRL screening (8/12 guidelines), screening for differential diagnosis (7/12) and discontinuing/switching PRL-raising agent (7/12). Guidelines otherwise diverge substantially regarding most aspects of screening, monitoring and management (e.g. treatment with dopamine agonists). There is an omission of clear sex-specific recommendations. Systematic literature on management approaches is promising; more research is needed. An integrated management recommendation is presented to guide sex-specific clinical response to antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia. Key aspects include asymptomatic hyperprolactinemia monitoring and fertility considerations with PRL normalisation.

CONCLUSION

Further empirical work is key to shaping robust guidelines for antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia. The integrated management recommendation can assist clinician and patient decision-making, with the goal of balancing effective psychiatric treatment while minimising PRL-related adverse health effects in male and female patients.

Mood stabilizers in pregnancy and child developmental outcomes: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that maintaining treatment during pregnancy for women with bipolar affective disorder reduces the risk of relapse. However, one of the key questions for women and clinicians during pregnancy is whether there are implications of exposure to mood stabilizers for longer term child development. Despite these concerns, there are few recent systematic reviews comparing the impact on child developmental outcomes for individual mood-stabilizing agents to inform clinical decisions.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the strengths and limitations of the existing data on child developmental outcomes following prenatal exposure to mood stabilizers and to explore whether there are any differences between agents for detrimental effects on child development.

METHOD

Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, a rigorous systematic search was carried out of four electronic databases from their respective years of inception to September 2016 to identify studies which examined the effects of mood stabilizers including sodium valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, lithium and second-generation antipsychotics on child developmental outcomes.

RESULTS

We identified 15 studies for critical review. Of these, 10 examined antiepileptic drugs, 2 studied lithium and 3 studied second-generation antipsychotics. The most consistent finding was a dose-response relationship for valproate with higher doses associated with poorer global cognitive abilities compared to other antiepileptic drugs. The limited data available for lithium found no adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. The limited second-generation antipsychotic studies included a report of a transient early neurodevelopmental delay which resolved by 12 months of age.

CONCLUSION

This review found higher neurodevelopmental risk with valproate. While the existing data on lithium and second-generation antipsychotics are reassuring, these data are both limited and lower quality, indicating that further research is required. The information from this review is relevant for patients and clinicians to influence choice of mood-stabilizing agent in childbearing women. This must be balanced against the known risks associated with untreated bipolar affective disorder.

Antenatal antipsychotic exposure induces multigenerational and gender-specific programming of adiposity and glucose tolerance in adult mouse offspring

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are well known for their metabolic side effects in humans, including obesity and diabetes. These compounds are maintained during pregnancy to prevent the relapse of psychoses, but they readily diffuse across the placenta to the fetus, as documented with the widely-prescribed drug olanzapine (OLZ). However, observational studies have provided conflicting results on the potential impact of SGAs on fetal growth and body weight, and their effects on metabolic regulation in the offspring. For this reason, our study has tested whether antenatal exposure of CD1 mice to OLZ influenced metabolic outcomes in the offspring of the first (F1) and second (F2) generations. In F1 mice, OLZ antenatal treatment caused a decrease in neonatal body weight in both genders, an effect that persisted throughout life only in male animals. Interestingly, F1 female mice also displayed altered glucose homoeostasis. F2 mice, generated by mating normal males with F1 female mice exposed to OLZ during antenatal life, exhibited higher neonatal body weights which persisted only in F2 female animals. This was associated with expansion of fat mass and a concordant pattern of adipose tissue gene expression. Moreover, male and female F2 mice were glucose-intolerant. Thus, our study has demonstrated that antenatal OLZ exposure induces multigenerational and gender-specific programming of glucose tolerance in the offspring mice as adults, and points to the need for careful monitoring of children exposed to SGAs during pregnancy.

A review of the safety of clozapine during pregnancy and lactation

Clozapine is an antipsychotic used in the management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia. However, little is known about clozapine use during pregnancy and lactation, or its impact on the mother, foetus, and infant. This review aims to summarize the available literature on the safety of clozapine use during the perinatal period. EMBASE, PsycINFO, and MEDLINE were searched from their inceptions through June 2016. The review encompasses 21 studies that have examined clozapine use during pregnancy and lactation. The limited available data do not support an increased risk of congenital malformations in foetuses exposed to clozapine during pregnancy, though rates of gestational diabetes are twice as high in pregnant women using clozapine. Clozapine accumulation in foetal serum possibly contributes to increased rates of floppy infant syndrome at delivery, decreased foetal heart rate variability, and seizures in infancy. Clozapine crosses the placenta and also accumulates in breast milk, which may increase the risk of agranulocytosis in infants and may necessitate infant testing. The majority of these data come from case reports and case series, making it unclear if the published risks associated with clozapine are due to mental illness, lifestyle factors, or co-treatment with other psychotropic medications. While the available literature on clozapine use during the perinatal period is very limited, the risks of clozapine use during pregnancy and the postpartum period should be discussed with women and weighed against those associated with other treatments and partially or untreated schizophrenia.

Tracheo-Esophageal Fistula (TEF) in a Newborn Following Maternal Antenatal Exposure to Olanzapine

There is a dearth of evidence on the safety of the use of antipsychotics during pregnancy. Olanzapine, a pregnancy category C drug, has no unequivocal evidence of harm to the fetus. Against this backdrop, we report the first case of a tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF) in a newborn following maternal antenatal exposure to olanzapine. A 29-year-old woman with acute psychotic disorder had been treated with olanzapine for the last 7 years. Her first pregnancy, while taking olanzapine, resulted in a miscarriage at 4 months' gestation, following which she discontinued olanzapine. She reconceived after a few months and delivered a full-term normal child. However, due to the recurrence of psychiatric illness after her second pregnancy, she was prescribed olanzapine again, which was continued throughout her third pregnancy. The outcome of the third pregnancy was a full-term female baby with a TEF. The baby was managed surgically and discharged with satisfactory vital signs. Unfortunately, however, the baby did not survive beyond 11 months of age. Causality between antenatal maternal olanzapine exposure and TEF in the newborn was determined to be 'probable' (score +5) as per the Naranjo causality assessment scale. Greater knowledge of this potential teratogenicity caused by olanzapine is needed to reduce morbidity and mortality in newborns.

Risks and benefits of psychotropic medication in pregnancy: cohort studies based on UK electronic primary care health records

BACKGROUND

Although many women treated with psychotropic medication become pregnant, no psychotropic medication has been licensed for use in pregnancy. This leaves women and their health-care professionals in a treatment dilemma, as they need to balance the health of the woman with that of the unborn child. The aim of this project was to investigate the risks and benefits of psychotropic medication in women treated for psychosis who become pregnant.

OBJECTIVE(S)

(1) To provide a descriptive account of psychotropic medication prescribed before pregnancy, during pregnancy and up to 15 months after delivery in UK primary care from 1995 to 2012; (2) to identify risk factors predictive of discontinuation and restarting of lithium (multiple manufacturers), anticonvulsant mood stabilisers and antipsychotic medication; (3) to examine the extent to which pregnancy is a determinant for discontinuation of psychotropic medication; (4) to examine prevalence of records suggestive of adverse mental health, deterioration or relapse 18 months before and during pregnancy, and up to 15 months after delivery; and (5) to estimate absolute and relative risks of adverse maternal and child outcomes of psychotropic treatment in pregnancy.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort studies.

SETTING

Primary care.

PARTICIPANTS

Women treated for psychosis who became pregnant, and their children.

INTERVENTIONS

Treatment with antipsychotics, lithium or anticonvulsant mood stabilisers.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Discontinuation and restarting of treatment; worsening of mental health; acute pre-eclampsia/gestational hypertension; gestational diabetes; caesarean section; perinatal death; major congenital malformations; poor birth outcome (low birthweight, preterm birth, small for gestational age, low Apgar score); transient poor birth outcomes (tremor, agitation, breathing and muscle tone problems); and neurodevelopmental and behavioural disorders.

DATA SOURCES

Clinical Practice Research Datalink database and The Health Improvement Network primary care database.

RESULTS

Prescribing of psychotropic medication was relatively constant before pregnancy, decreased sharply in early pregnancy and peaked after delivery. Antipsychotic and anticonvulsant treatment increased over the study period. The recording of markers of worsening mental health peaked after delivery. Pregnancy was a strong determinant for discontinuation of psychotropic medication. However, between 40% and 76% of women who discontinued psychotropic medication before or in early pregnancy restarted treatment by 15 months after delivery. The risk of major congenital malformations, and neurodevelopmental and behavioural outcomes in valproate (multiple manufacturers) users was twice that in users of other anticonvulsants. The risks of adverse maternal and child outcomes in women who continued antipsychotic use in pregnancy were not greater than in those who discontinued treatment before pregnancy.

LIMITATIONS

A few women would have received parts of their care outside primary care, which may not be captured in this analysis. Likewise, the analyses were based on prescribing data, which may differ from usage.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychotropic medication is prescribed before, during and after pregnancy. Many women discontinue treatment before or during early pregnancy and then restart again in late pregnancy or after delivery. Our results support previous associations between valproate and adverse child outcomes but we found no evidence of such an association for antipsychotics.

FUTURE WORK

Future research should focus on (1) curtailing the use of sodium valproate; (2) estimating the benefits of psychotropic drug use in pregnancy; and (3) investigating the risks associated with lifestyle choices that are more prevalent among women using psychotropic drugs.

FUNDING DETAILS

The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

One-Year Developmental Outcomes for Infants of Mothers With Bipolar Disorder

OBJECTIVE

Few data about the development of infants born to women with bipolar disorder have been published. We hypothesized that infants of women with bipolar disorder (by DSM-IV criteria) treated with psychotropics (BD+) or untreated with psychotropics (BD-) would demonstrate poorer cognitive and behavioral development than infants of controls. On the basis of previous studies, we expected that psychotropic-exposed infants of women in the BD+ group would have poorer neuromotor performance during infancy.

METHODS

This longitudinal study included 197 mother-infant dyads recruited to participate between July 2006 and March 2011: 81 with prenatal maternal bipolar disorder without psychotropic treatment (BD-, n = 27) or bipolar disorder with psychotropic exposure (BD+, n = 54) and 116 in which infants were exposed to neither bipolar disorder nor psychotropics. Maternal psychopathology and pharmacotherapy exposure assessments were completed at 20, 30, and 36 prenatal weeks and 12, 26, and 52 weeks postpartum. Infants were evaluated with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition, which included the psychomotor (Psychomotor Development Index [PDI]), cognitive (Mental Development Index [MDI]), and behavioral (Behavioral Rating Scale [BRS]) components.

RESULTS

Neither prenatal exposure to BD- or BD+ significantly impacted overall PDI (P = .2449), MDI (P = .7886), or BRS (P = .6072) scores. However, we observed a significant effect of BD+ exposure-by-time interaction for the BRS Motor Quality index (F₂₄₅ = 3.16, P = .0441), with BD+ exposed infants less likely to be above the 75th percentile at the 52-week assessment (mean = 11.5%) compared with BD- (mean = 40.0%) and nonexposed infants (mean = 48.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

We found no significant impact of prenatal BD- or BD+ exposure on infant PDI, MDI, or overall BRS scores at 12, 26, or 52 weeks of age, with most scores remaining within normal limits. Consistent with previous studies, we found a specific effect of prenatal BD+ exposure on quality of motor functioning at 1 year. However, the majority of infants were within normal limits on this developmental outcome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00585702.

Risks associated with antipsychotic treatment in pregnancy: Comparative cohort studies based on electronic health records

BACKGROUND

Limited information is available on whether antipsychotics prescribed in pregnancy are associated with increased risks of adverse outcomes.

METHODS

We used electronic health records from pregnant women and their children to examine risks of adverse maternal and child outcomes in three cohorts of women who: (A) received antipsychotic treatment in pregnancy (n=416) (B) discontinued antipsychotic treatment before pregnancy (n=670), and (C) had no records of antipsychotic treatment before or during pregnancy (n=318,434). Absolute and risk ratios were estimated and adjusted for health and lifestyle and concomitant medications.

RESULTS

Caesarean section was more common in cohort A (25%) than C (18%), but non-significant after adjustment for health and lifestyle factors (Risk Ratio (adj.) 1.09 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.30). Proportion of gestational diabetes was similar in cohort A (2.6%) and B (2.7%), but lower in A than B after adjustments (RRadj: 0.43 (0.20, 0.93). Premature birth/low birthweight were more common in cohort A (10%) than B (4.3%) and C (3.9%), A versus B (RRadj: 2.04 (1.13, 3.67), A versus C (RRadj: 1.43 (0.99, 2.05). Major congenital malformations were more common in A (3.4%), than B (2.2%) and C (2%). However no significant difference was observed (A versus B: RRadj: 1.79 (0.72, 4.47) A versus C RRadj: 1.59 (0.84, 3.00)). Risks estimates were similar for women prescribed atypical and typical antipsychotics.

CONCLUSIONS

Antipsychotic treatment in pregnancy carries limited risks of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes once adjustments have been made for health and lifestyle factors.