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The Use of Psychotropic Drugs during Pregnancy and Nursing

  • Chapter
The Practitioner’s Guide to Psychoactive Drugs

Part of the book series: Topics in General Psychiatry ((TGPS))

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Abstract

Treatment of a pregnant or nursing patient presents unusual challenges to the physician, who must consider not only the usual guidelines for administering drugs but also the special problems of pregnancy and the postpartum period. These include:

  1. 1.

    The significant alterations in maternal physiology during pregnancy and delivery.

  2. 2.

    The vulnerability of the developing fetus.

  3. 3.

    The physiological changes in the neonate.

  4. 4.

    The transfer of various agents to the newborn through milk.

  5. 5.

    The possibility of long-term neuroendocrine or behavioral effects on the developing nervous system.

The author would like to thank Jeffrey P. Koplan for his support.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, USA

    Carol R. Koplan M.D.

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  1. Carol R. Koplan M.D.
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA

    Ellen L. Bassuk M.D.  & Stephen C. Schoonover M.D. (Instructor in Psychiatry, Director) &  (Instructor in Psychiatry, Director)

  2. Special Studies Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, USA

    Alan J. Gelenberg M.D. (Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Chief) (Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Chief)

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© 1983 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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Koplan, C.R. (1983). The Use of Psychotropic Drugs during Pregnancy and Nursing. In: Bassuk, E.L., Schoonover, S.C., Gelenberg, A.J. (eds) The Practitioner’s Guide to Psychoactive Drugs. Topics in General Psychiatry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8049-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8049-2_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-8051-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8049-2

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