Taking Ambien During Pregnancy: What You Need to Know - Meds Guide

Ambien And Pregnancy – What You Need To Know

Experts estimate that up to 95% of women experience some sleep disturbance during pregnancy. It is a saying that insomnia during pregnancy is there to prepare you for the sleepless nights you have to endure in the coming days. Though insomnia is not harmful to your baby’s growth and development, not getting enough sleep during pregnancy can be very discomforting for the expecting mother. Insomnia can make you toss and turn all night, leaving you wondering from where you can get help.

People usually turn towards sleeping pills; famous among them is Ambien. However, Ambien might not be a safe drug to using during pregnancy. There are alternatives for managing your sleeping problems, including lifestyle changes and treatment with other medications.

Ambien’s Status As A Drug To Use During Pregnancy

Ambien is a category “C” drug for pregnancy.

Ambien is a sleeping pill that belongs to the class of medication called sedatives. The primary use of this medicine is to treat insomnia. This drug enhances the working of natural brain chemicals that causes sleepiness. Ambien helps a person to fall asleep and also stay asleep for longer.

The FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration)  considers this drug a category “C” pregnancy medicine. Research on animals has shown side effects in the unborn kid when the mother takes this medicine. Category “C” also indicates the lack of studies done in humans to determine how this drug might affect a human fetus accurately.

There is a lack of controlled studies looking at Ambien use during pregnancy. Due to this reason, you should only consume Ambien during pregnancy if your doctor determines that the possible benefits of this drug outweigh the potation risk to your unborn kid.

What little research we do have so far has not found a link between congenital disabilities and Ambien use. Still, there isn’t enough data on humans to support this conclusion. Animal studies focused on Ambien use during pregnancy also not have shown any signs of congenital disabilities. However, babies of animals using this drug during pregnancy were born with decreased weight.

You can also find some reports of human infants having breathing problems at birth when their mother has used Ambien during the later pregnancy stage. Kids born to women taking Ambien are also at risk of developing withdrawal symptoms after birth. These unpleasant symptoms can include weak and limp muscles.

Most of the time, it is best to avoid using Ambien during pregnancy. If you don’t have another option other than to use this medicine, try using it as few times as possible as per your doctor’s prescription.

What Are The Side Effects Of Ambien?

Try only to use this drug if you can not get a good night’s sleep, and a medical professional has diagnosed your problem as insomnia. This medicine can cause some effects in people even if they consume it as per their doctor’s instructions. Ambien side effects can include:

·         Diarrhea

·         Dizziness

·         Drowsiness

Drowsiness can increase the risk of falling, and diarrhea can increase your chance of getting dehydrated. It is incredibly essential to be aware of these side effects when you are pregnant. You can read the medication guide for Ambien to know about all its potential side effects that can be devastating during pregnancy.

This medicine can also cause severe side effects. Call your doctor right away if you encounter any of this drug’s severe adverse effects, including:

·         Changes in behavior

·         Inability to remember doing things while you were fully awake.

If you consume Ambien and don’t sleep for the required time, you may experience various side effects the next day. These effects include decreased reaction time and awareness. Also, try to avoid driving or doing any activity requiring alertness if you have used Ambien and have not gotten a full night’s sleep.

Long-term use of this drug can make you physically or psychologically dependent on it, resulting in unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop consuming this medicine. The withdrawal symptoms can include:

·         Stomach pain

·         Nervousness

·         Panic attacks

·         Stomach cramps

·         Vomiting

·         Uncontrolled crying

·         Feeling of warmth in your face

·         Lightheadedness

·         Nausea

·         Trouble breathing

How To Decide If You Should Take Ambien During Pregnancy?

If you consume Ambien a couple of days each week during pregnancy, it might cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn kid. This effect is more likely to occur if you take the drug closer to giving birth. That is why it is best to avoid using this drug during pregnancy.

You can look at the non-medicinal remedies for insomnia that can serve as a safer alternative during pregnancy. Doctors also recommend natural ways to manage insomnia during pregnancy. You can consider the following:

·         Avoid daytime naps

·         Get a massage before going to bed

·         Take a warm bath before going to bed

·         Try new sleeping positions

·         Don’t keep TV, computers, and smartphones in your bedroom

·         Try listing to relaxing music before going to bed

Only if these habits fail to give you enough sleep, your doctor might prescribe you medications. They may recommend tricyclic antidepressants at first because these drugs are safer than Ambien during pregnancy.

Ask your doctor about Ambien alternatives if you are interested in medicines to help you sleep. During pregnancy, doctors typically only prescribe Ambien when other drugs fail to deliver the expected results.

Always Talk With Your Doctor

Many things can trigger insomnia during pregnancy. These include:

·         Hormonal changes

·         Not being used to the size of belly growth

·         Anxiety

·         Heartburn

·         Back pain

In most instances, Ambien is not the right choice to treat insomnia during pregnancy. It can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Instead of this drug, you can make changes to your bedtime routine, which can significantly help you get a restful night’s sleep.

If you are having difficulty sleeping during pregnancy, talk to a doctor because they can recommend alternative treatment options that don’t involve Ambien’s use. The other treatment recommended by your doctor can include lifestyle changes or alternate drugs that are safer than Ambien during pregnancy.