I just found out I'm pg with our first child (4-5 weeks) and I am currently taking dex. for my ADD. Doctor says baby should be fine, but I'm worried I might be doing damage! But he (doc) feels having me stay on med. the advantages out way any risk to the baby. Anyone else had this experience? I know some in my family will have a VERY hard time with me continuing on ths RX - but I don't think they fully understand how unstable and unbearable life is for me when I'm not on dex. (I know- I went 3 years on a "vacation" and it wasn't pretty). I just want to do all I can to have a healthy baby and have heard different views on this... I don't know what to believe.

I've read in many places that it is not a good idea to take ADD meds while pregnant. A very quick look on Pubmed brings up several papers. Here's one on a study with rats. Bottom line? Yes, there can be an adverse effect on your child.

Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 1999 Feb 5;112(2):181-8. Related Articles, Links

Permanent alteration of central noradrenergic system by prenatally administered amphetamine.

Nasif FJ, Cuadra GR, Ramirez OA.

Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000, Cordoba, Argentina.

Amphetamine-induced psychosis is frequently associated with a chronic, high-dose, daily pattern of amphetamine exposure. In the present study we investigate the effects of prenatal exposure to amphetamine during the development of the central noradrenergic (NA) system in adult rats. Pregnant Wistar rats were given 4 mg/kg/day of d-amphetamine (AMPH), subcutaneously, from gestational day 8 to 21. No additional drug treatment was given to the animals until the beginning of the experiments, in adult, control and prenatally amphetamine treated rats. Since we study the electrophysiology and neurochemistry of the central NA system, we investigated the electric activity of locus coeruleus (LC) norepinephrine (NE) neurons and the levels of NE on prefrontal cortex. What we found, was a decreased number of spontaneously active cells in the LC nucleus with a lower pattern of discharge whereas, the basal levels of NE in the prefrontal cortex, was greatly increased. The increased cortical NE levels, observed in the present study may account for the proposed hyperactive NA system being responsible for some psychotic symptoms observed in paranoid schizophrenia. Besides, our results concerning the permanent alteration observed in the central NA system, in rats prenatally exposed to amphetamine, raise the possibility that this animal model may be useful to further study the neurobiologic alterations underlying certain clinical features involved in some psychosis such as schizophrenia. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

All I can tell you is my experience. When I found out I was pregnant, my Dr. told me to stop the adderall immediately. I was taking 10 mgs. a day. My Dr. told me stimulants cause low birth weight babies. I have never heard of a Dr. telling a pregnant woman to stay on meds. I was off the meds for my pregnancy and a few mths after while breast feeding. Obviously, I'm not a Dr., and your Dr. knows more about you than I do, but you should really research this before you continue with the meds.

You may find that pregnancy helps with the symptoms of your ADD. This is not true for everyone, but for me, the hormones associated with pregnancy and nursing reduced my symptoms significantly (although they are by no means erased!)

I was taking Ritalin, Wellbutrin, and Lamictal prior to pregnancy, and even before I became pregnant (Hubby and I were not planning to!) I had been slowly reducing the amount of Wellbutrin and Lamictal I was taking. When I found out I was pregnant (only 12 days after I conceived) I stopped taking everything. I was just so worried because I didn't know how they would affect my baby.

I had a transcendant pregnancy and was never more even-tempered and clear-headed. Exactly why is a mystery to me.

There are some things you can do (regardless of whether or not you decide to continue taking dex.) to help you --

Take extra B complex vitamins, like a 50 mg. preparation, especially concentrating on taking b6 which can significantly reduce morning sickness (which you will start having soon if you a vulnerable to it) and has been shown by research not to harm your baby in any way. Also, take flaxseed oil, a few grams a day, which is an omega 3 fatty acid which is great for your brain and for your baby's as well in every way.

Make sure to take at LEAST 400 mcg. of folic acid every day, twice that if your diet hasn't been great, to reduce the chances of spinal cord abnormalities -- this is critical in the first 12 weeks.

Exercise can greatly reduce your symptoms and help you stay trim (I gained 70 pounds, I don't recommend it -- I lost most of it but boy was it hard!)

Most of all, don't be too hard on yourself. If you NEED the meds, you need the meds -- if you need them to support yourself financially, and can't function without, then just do the best you can.

Prayer doesn't hurt either!

I've read in many places that it is not a good idea to take ADD meds while pregnant. A very quick look on Pubmed brings up several papers. Here's one on a study with rats. Bottom line? Yes, there can be an adverse effect on your child.

Brain Res Dev Brain Res. 1999 Feb 5;112(2):181-8. Related Articles, Links

Permanent alteration of central noradrenergic system by prenatally administered amphetamine.

Nasif FJ, Cuadra GR, Ramirez OA.

Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000, Cordoba, Argentina.

Amphetamine-induced psychosis is frequently associated with a chronic, high-dose, daily pattern of amphetamine exposure. In the present study we investigate the effects of prenatal exposure to amphetamine during the development of the central noradrenergic (NA) system in adult rats. Pregnant Wistar rats were given 4 mg/kg/day of d-amphetamine (AMPH), subcutaneously, from gestational day 8 to 21. No additional drug treatment was given to the animals until the beginning of the experiments, in adult, control and prenatally amphetamine treated rats. Since we study the electrophysiology and neurochemistry of the central NA system, we investigated the electric activity of locus coeruleus (LC) norepinephrine (NE) neurons and the levels of NE on prefrontal cortex. What we found, was a decreased number of spontaneously active cells in the LC nucleus with a lower pattern of discharge whereas, the basal levels of NE in the prefrontal cortex, was greatly increased. The increased cortical NE levels, observed in the present study may account for the proposed hyperactive NA system being responsible for some psychotic symptoms observed in paranoid schizophrenia. Besides, our results concerning the permanent alteration observed in the central NA system, in rats prenatally exposed to amphetamine, raise the possibility that this animal model may be useful to further study the neurobiologic alterations underlying certain clinical features involved in some psychosis such as schizophrenia. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
I definitely would not read too much into this. For one thing, the dose in this study was huge - about the equivalent of 240 mg per day for a 130 pound woman! Anything can cause problems in very high doses.

Also, you can't necessarily extrapolate findings from one species to another. I'm fond of reminding people that for humans, Tylenol is so safe that we give it to infants. Yet if you give Tylenol to a cat, it will kill him.

Unless it's a study of therapeutic doses on humans, I'm not inclined to put too much stock in it. All this study tells me is "be careful about taking 5-10x your prescribed dose". But anyone with common sense would know not to take that much anyway!

One of my daughters, that also takes Dexerdrine Span for her ADD, is looking into this. They have decided to start a family & without the meds she doesn't think she can work.

I've done some "basis" checking into it for her. Evidentialy 1 dr told her that she wouldn't be able to take it the first 3 months but that after that, if she really needed it to function daily, that she could. Although I've told her that for Malpractice reasons, I seriously doubted if any OB dr where they live would give the "ok" for this. The basics are that is you take the Dexerdrine while carrying the baby that the baby will have withdrawal from it after birth. They will be very irritable & fussy, sleeping problems, low birth weight, ect. Same thing if you Nurse while taking the meds + below average growth (weight & height)

Being her Mom, this is what I told her. I'm 52 & had 6 kids & 1 miscarriage. My ADD wasn't dx until I was 45. I felt better when I was carrying my children than I did when wasn't. It use to be a joke that if I was cleaning house & cooking that I had to be pregnant. .......But... I have known women who didn't even take a aspirin that had babies born with "problems." On the other hand I've known women that took "drugs" (not meds for dx ADD, but illegal & legal such as smoking & drinking) the entire time they were pregnant & their babies were born healthy & some with average & above average birth weight. My Personal Opinion is that the water we drink, the food we eat & the air we breath doens't have "Warning Lobels" on them but that is where the things that do the majority of the "unknown cause" for babies health problems exist. I also told her with so many "unknowns" why take any chances. Because 9 months of not being able to function daily, when you know with each passsing day that you are closer to being able to return to your previous level of function......those 9 months are much easier to live with than a lifetime of regret & guilt & "what if's."

In all Honesty, I don't believe that anyone can tell you what is best for you to do. This is a decision that, in My Opinion, should be made by you & your husband.....but remember that this is the first as well as 1 of the most important if not The Most Important decision that you will make for your child. Your OB drs opinion is important as well as the dr that the baby will use (unless you have a Family Dr for both) But other than that try & learn how to let the comments of others go in 1 ear & out the other, which when it's Family seems almost impossible to do.

Whatever your decision is, your ADD Forums Family is here & we care about you & your unborn child as well as hubby. Please keep us posted on how you & the baby are doing & how things are going.

BlessedLady