Xanax during pregnancy: risk to fetus? Posted: 03-29-07 04:11am
I just found out today that I am
approximately 3 weeks pregnant. I am very
excited about this news, however, I am
very concerned because I took one Xanax
somewhere between weeks 2 & weeks 3 of my
pregnancy. What permanent risks are there
to the fetus? What should I be asking my
doctor? Are there tests to determine the
health of my baby? I want to enjoy this
pregnancy, but am so overwhelmed by the
idea that I may have hurt my baby...please
help!
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DoctorAnswer
Doctor Answer
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Pregnancy Answer A2558 Posted: 04-16-07 02:34am
You can’t be 3 weeks pregnant. Pregnancy
is counted from the first day of your last
menstruation, not from the day of
conception. According to your last
menstruation on the 22nd February, it
seems that you are 5 weeks and 1 day
pregnant at the moment you are asking this
question (the 29th of March).
Xanax (alprazolam) is a benzodiazepine
used for short term treatment of anxiety.
Pregnant women should avoid Xanax because
it can cause muscle weakness and
respiratory problems in the newborn. Xanax
(alprazolam) belongs to "Pregnancy Group
D", which means it can cause congenital
anomalies if used in the first trimester
of pregnancy. I don’t believe that one
pill of Xanax can damage your baby but you
must tell your gynecologist about this.
There are no specific tests that can tell
us if your fetus was damaged, or not, at
this stage of pregnancy. You can only
perform the scheduled ultrasound scans.
Your gynecologist may ask for more
information, if necessary.
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