ADHD medications during pregnancy.
Key points
- Maintaining medication treatment for ADHD during pregnancy is increasingly common.
- Some women experience significant risks to their health if ADHD medications were discontinued.
- Adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes do not appear to be elevated in offspring of mothers taking ADHD drugs.
- Women should discuss risks and benefits of ADHD medications during pregnancy with their healthcare providers.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric illness involving persistent symptoms of inattention and or hyperactivity and impulsivity that negatively impact function. Symptoms often respond to behavioral therapy and medications, including stimulants. Although ADHD is often diagnosed during childhood, the disorder also affects adults. Over the last decade, the number of women taking medications for ADHD during pregnancy has increased. Currently, the percentage is estimated to be over 1 percent.