Adderall and Pregnancy

It may not be safe to use Adderall during pregnancy. The FDA has categorized Adderall as a pregnancy Category C medication, meaning that it has been shown to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. During extensive clinical trials studying Adderall and pregnancy, the medication was shown to cause birth defects and miscarriages in mice. Other studies in rodents showed that Adderall caused problems with the brain chemicals in the fetus, resulting in long-term learning and memory problems.

 

Adderall During Pregnancy -- Is It Safe?

For people who are pregnant, Adderall® (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) or Adderall XR® (amphetamine-dextroamphetamine extended release) may not be safe to use. This is based on animal studies that looked at the effects of Adderall during pregnancy.
 

Adderall and Pregnancy Category C

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans, but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Also, medicines that have not been studied in any pregnant women or animals are automatically given a Pregnancy Category C rating.
 
Adderall was given a pregnancy Category C rating because it was shown to cause birth defects and miscarriages in mice. Other studies in rodents have shown that when Adderall was used during pregnancy, it caused problems with brain chemicals. This resulted in long-term learning and memory problems.
 
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
 
(Adderall and Pregnancy Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;