
Ask A Question - Help - Register - Login

Will there be birth defects if I stopped taking my medication?

Sent to Health Experts November 28, 2004 4:16 p.m.

I was diagnosed with bi-polar about a year ago and have been on Depakote, Serequel, and Tegretol for just as long. About 3 or 4 months ago I stopped taking it and about a month ago I found out I was pregnant. I went to my doctors and I am only a month and a half pregnant. If I didn’t regularly stay on my medicine for the past 5 to 6 months and completely stopped taking it between 4 - 3 months ago is there still extreme risks for birth defects? My mother told me that I should just abort the child but it is my first child and I want everything but the death of it. Please tell me everything is going to be ok. Is there anything I can do to reduce the risks and allow me to have a healthy baby like everyone else?

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Status: Closed Value: $1

Info Request
November 28, 2004 6:00 p.m. (1 hour and 44 minutes later)

All of those medications should have washed out of your system before you became pregnant. They should not effect the baby. I have had patients on all of those medications when they became pregnant and they had healthy children. One had a miscarriage but she also had an auto accident and smoked. Good Luck with your pregnancy. Remember to have good prenatal care. Nurse Hope

Edited by nursehope on November 28 2004 at 10:10pm

__________________
Help and Hope from advanced practice nurse and therapist, honest intelligent answers.

nursehope -- Nurse (RN) -- 98% Positive Feedback on 168 Health Accepts
Advanced Practice RN w/ experience in Psychiatry ,Med-Surg, OB/GYN & Neurology.

Nobody has been able to answer this question yet. Can you help answer it?
Click here to become an Expert.

Related Answers:

	DISCLAIMER: You acknowledge that any information you may obtain from individuals you contact through use of the Just Answer service comes from those individuals, not from Just Answer!, and that Just Answer is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty and no representations are made regarding the qualification of an Expert. Responses and comments on Just Answer! are for general information and are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (such as medical, legal, investment or accounting) and do not establish a professional-client relationship. Just Answer! is not intended or designed to address EMERGENCY QUESTIONS which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals. Please carefully read the Terms of Service.

Just Answer! > Online Health Advice > Medicine Questions