Gabapentin
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Gabapentin can be used in pregnancy if recommended by a doctor.
What is it?
Gabapentin (Neurontin®) is mainly used to treat epilepsy and nerve pain, and to prevent migraine.
Benefits
What are the benefits of taking gabapentin in pregnancy?
Gabapentin prevents epileptic seizures, which can be dangerous to the woman and also lead to pregnancy complications. Gabapentin can also improve nerve pain which can severely affect quality of life.
Risks
Are there any risks of taking gabapentin during pregnancy?
Gabapentin use in pregnancy is not very well-studied. While the available information does not strongly suggest that it causes problems for the baby, further research is required to prove that gabapentin is safe.
As a precaution, gabapentin is only prescribed in pregnancy when the benefits (most commonly of controlling seizures in women with epilepsy) outweigh the possible risks.
Gabapentin is an anti-seizure drug and some of these can affect folic acid levels. Women taking gabapentin while trying to conceive and during pregnancy should therefore be prescribed a high dose folic acid supplement (5mg/day).
Alternatives
Are there any alternatives to taking gabapentin?
Possibly. Other medicines can be used to treat epilepsy and nerve pain; however, if these conditions are well-controlled with gabapentin, staying on it may be the best option.
Women using gabapentin to prevent migraine will usually be advised by their doctor to switch to a different medicine.
Ideally, women planning a pregnancy should speak to their GP or specialist to determine whether gabapentin is still the best medicine for them. Women with an unplanned pregnancy while taking gabapentin should be reviewed at the earliest opportunity by their GP or specialist.
No treatment
What if I prefer not to take medicines during pregnancy?
It is very important to take any medicines prescribed to treat epilepsy. Uncontrolled seizures can be serious and can lead to pregnancy complications. It is also very important that nerve pain is controlled so that women are as well as possible during pregnancy and while looking after a baby.
Your doctor will only prescribe medicines when absolutely necessary and will be happy to talk to you about any concerns that you might have.
Do not stop gabapentin without speaking to your midwife, GP, or specialist.
Will my baby need extra monitoring?
All pregnant women in the UK will be offered a very detailed anomaly scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of their routine antenatal care. No extra monitoring for major birth defects is required following gabapentin use in pregnancy.
Babies exposed to gabapentin before delivery may experience withdrawal symptoms for a few days after birth. They will be monitored in hospital during this period and any symptoms treated as necessary.
Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken gabapentin?
We would not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father takes gabapentin.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.