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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54943 |
| _version_ | 1848759503819898880 |
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| author | Frayne, J. Nguyen, T. Mok, T. Hauck, Yvonne Liira, H. |
| author_facet | Frayne, J. Nguyen, T. Mok, T. Hauck, Yvonne Liira, H. |
| author_sort | Frayne, J. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:00:55Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-54943 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:00:55Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-549432018-10-18T01:51:23Z Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic Frayne, J. Nguyen, T. Mok, T. Hauck, Yvonne Liira, H. 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. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54943 10.1080/0167482X.2017.1337743 restricted |
| spellingShingle | Frayne, J. Nguyen, T. Mok, T. Hauck, Yvonne Liira, H. Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| title | Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| title_full | Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| title_fullStr | Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| title_short | Lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| title_sort | lithium exposure during pregnancy: outcomes for women who attended a specialist antenatal clinic |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54943 |