TAIPEI, Taiwan — Researchers have made a concerning discovery tied to the risks associated with taking benzodiazepines during pregnancy. Benzodiazepines are a class of depressants commonly prescribed for treating anxiety, insomnia, and several other conditions. However, this study, analyzing data from a large number of pregnancies, sheds light on the increased risk of suffering a miscarriage while using these medications.
A team in Taiwan conducted a nationwide, population-based study using the country’s extensive health databases, focusing on pregnancies between 2004 and 2018. They specifically looked at pregnancies that resulted in miscarriage, comparing them with others during the same period. By doing so, they could control for other factors that might influence the risk of miscarriage, such as demographic differences and pre-existing health conditions.
Out of over three million pregnancies, 4.4 percent ended in miscarriage. The data showed that the use of benzodiazepines during pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk of miscarriage. This risk varied depending on the specific type of benzodiazepine but was consistently higher compared to those who did not use these drugs.
“In this case-time-control study, benzodiazepine use during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, even after accounting for unmeasured confounders, including those related to genetics and the family environment,” researchers report in JAMA Psychiatry.
These findings have crucial implications for healthcare professionals and pregnant women. Benzodiazepines are often prescribed for treating mental health and sleep disorders. These drugs include common medications like Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Ativan, and Klonopin.
The new study, however, study suggests that their use during pregnancy needs to be carefully weighed against the potential risks to the unborn child. It also highlights the importance of healthcare providers discussing alternative treatments and closely monitoring any benzodiazepine use during pregnancy, study authors explain.
“The observation of an increased risk of miscarriage associated with benzodiazepine use during pregnancy suggests that benzodiazepines should only be used after a thorough evaluation of the potential benefits and risks for both the mother and child,” the team writes in their report.
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