Pregnancy Outcomes Following Exposure to quetiapine in mono- and polytherapy
By: Nigara A Sayram
Student number: 998823420
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Date: August 6th, 2015 Abstract
Objective: Investigate the reproductive safety of quetiapine in mono- and polytherapy
Design: Cohort study using a prospectively collected database
Setting: Motherisk program, the Hospital for Sick Children
Participants: Pregnant women with mental illnesses who contacted motherisk clinic initially inquiring information regarding the safety of quatiepine, 137 of those who confirmed the use of quetiapine and completed the follow up interview were then included in the study. Pregnancy outcomes of women exposed to quetiapine alone (monotherapy; n=29) were…show more content… However, future research using powerful sample size and more sound study design should be conducted in order to confirm this finding.
Introduction:
Psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and many others most commonly occur during the reproductive years of women, especially during pregnancy. Recent studies estimate that the range for the prevalence of psychiatric disorders occurring during pregnancy is 14 % to 30.5%.1-3 Untreated psychiatric illnesses are found to be associated with many adverse effects both on maternal health and pregnancy outcome. There is >50% risk for relapse of psychotic disorder during pregnancy and post partum. 4 In addition to that, unfavourable pregnancy outcomes such as low neonatal birth weight, neonatal hypoglycemia, increasing risk for congenital defects, and adverse neurodevelopmental effects can also occur.5 These adverse consequences associated with unmanaged mental disorders lead many patients to remain on pharmacological management using antipsychotics throughout pregnancy.
Antipsychotics are used to manage symptoms of psychiatric disorder such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and many others by blocking type 2 dopamine receptor (D2) in the dopamine pathway of the brain.6 There are two main types of antipsychotics; typical antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics, which is also known