If you are considering taking Xanax while pregnant, for sure you know that this is an anti-anxiety medication.
Just like Valium and Ativan, it belongs to the benzodiazepine medication class. These are widely used and they were fairly well studied regarding their effects on pregnant women.
Information about taking Xanax while being pregnant
When thinking about the effects of a medication on pregnancy usually people think about the possible birth defects, immediate problems of the baby, long-term health problems and breastfeeding. You should consider all these when thinking about taking any kind of medication.
Birth defects
According to the studies conducted regarding taking Xanax while being pregnant show that there are no associated birth defects. A few years ago there were some people worried about birth defects, like cleft lip, but the latest studies show that there are no anatomical birth defects associated to the medication.
Long-term health issues
The truth about pregnancy Xanax is that there are no long-term studies done, so the outcome is not known. It is known that the babies of the parents who are prone to anxiety could also have problems of this kind regardless whether they are exposed to medication of this kind or not.
However you should consider that Xanax was used by pregnant women for over 40 years now and there is no evidence suggesting that there would be any long-term health problems or behavioral problems caused by taking benzodiazepines during pregnancy.
Newborn effects
If you are thinking about pregnancy and Xanax you should know that the babies of women who were taking the medication during their pregnancy also have some of it in their system. Remember that it takes longer for the immature system to break down the drug, so the babies might be sedated for days.
When considering Xanax and pregnancy you should also think about the withdrawal symptoms that appear as the medication leaves the body. The effects include tremors, problems with regulating the body temperature, and restlessness. If you were taking the medication before childbirth, you should let your doctor know about it.
Breastfeeding
In case you are interested in pregnant women and Xanax it is good to know that some of the medication can get to the baby through the breast milk and as a result the baby might be sedated. However in the majority of the cases the benefits outweigh the risks.
The good news about Xanax and pregnant women is that it is a short acting medication  so it takes a shorter time for the body to break it down. If you take the medication you should keep an eye out for the effects of the medication on the baby and let your doctor know that you are taking the medication.
All in all, when it comes to taking Xanax during pregnancy we can say that it is relatively safe, but there are still some aspects that the doctors aren’t sure about. In some cases your doctor could recommend you to take the medication.
