Pregnant women need to be aware that their fetus is extremely sensitive. Hence, women who are pregnant need to be more responsible with foods and drugs they consume. Most doctors insist that pregnant women must try to stay medicines-free all through the time of their pregnancy. It is fairly simple to stay away from over the counter meds. But, for women who are under a treatment plan, it can become difficult. Drugs are classified under various categorizes, based on how safe they are for pregnant women. Women who are taking trazodone need to know the category trazodone belongs to.
Pregnant women need to be careful while using drugs. Some drugs may be harmful to their fetus and may bear other risks. Your treating doctor’s advice is essential before starting to take any medications. Women – during their pregnancy – are advised to make a list of the drugs they are taking. As you make this list, care to include all forms of drugs – i.e., prescription meds, over the counter drugs, herbal medications, dietary aids, vitamin supplements, etc.
Some women may display spells of depression during the time of their pregnancy. These episodes are often attributed to hormonal changes in such women. Apart from hormones, women may also tend to get excited or stay nervous about their fetus and the health of their to-be-born baby. The reasons are many; but, regardless of reasons, pregnant women living with persistent spells of sadness can be vulnerable to chronic states of depression.
What is trazodone?
Antidepressant drugs come in different forms. Most common among them are selective serotonin reuptake inhibiting drugs – in short, SSRIs, and serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Both these genres work to increase the availability to brain substances called serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, etc.; adequate presence of these chemicals is required for boosting mental wellbeing and moods. In this milieu, trazodone is an antidepressant med. It neither belongs to SSRI class or SNRI genre. Instead, it is classified under a sub-genre called serotonin receptor antagonist and reuptake inhibiting med. As the name suggests, trazodone does share a lot of similarities with SSRI-genre of antidepressants. This drug is however reserved for the treatment of severe spells of anxieties and / or depression.
Trazodone works almost similar to many other meds of the antidepressant genre; in essence, it aims to maintain a balanced level of serotonin – an essential neurotransmitter chemical. Once your brain has access to needful level to serotonin (as well as norepinephrine and dopamine), your moods are enhanced, you may find your appetite returning to a normal; above all, there is an overall decrease in anxiety levels. Users tend to stay calmer once the drug and its active ingredients start working. As an added benefit, users of trazodone report better sleeping patterns; which means, fewer spells of insomnia or sleeplessness.
Can pregnant women use trazodone?
The food and drug administration (FDA) has provided safety ratings for drugs it clears. Of these ratings, category C is labelled for meds which are not fully safe on women who are pregnant. In other words, such drugs are prescribed only when the merits of the drug outweigh the side effects and associated risks to the fetus (as well as mother). Trazodone belongs to category C – i.e., it may be administered when the benefits are clearly more than the side effects and / or risks. If a pregnant woman is showing spells of depression, and all other non-drug based measures have yielded limited results – trazodone can be prescribed. This drug is given only when treatment offered for depression is absolutely necessary for her.
Women who are pregnant must also know why FDA has labelled it as Category C. This category means that – not enough research has been done on human beings – especially, on pregnant women; hence, the drug cannot be said to be completely safe when taken while you are pregnant. You are advised to talk to your treating doctor if you need more inputs about drugs labelled under Category C and the impact on maternal wellbeing (as well as fetal health).
In this milieu, it becomes important to know the likely side effects and discomforts trazodone may cause. Like most drugs, this med may trigger a few undesired discomforts and side effects. Commonly experienced side effects include being dizzy, feeling very tired, abdominal problems such as nausea, cramping of abdominal muscles and / or vomiting. Most of these discomforts and side effects may disappear once your system gets used to the key ingredients of trazodone.
Trazodone is unlikely to cause any severe side effects. But, in some cases, an excessive build-up of brain chemicals is noticed. In clinical terms, this condition is known as serotonin toxicity. You can identify toxic presence of neuro transmitting chemicals through a few of distinctive signs and symptoms. These include acute respiratory problems (such as gasping, shallowed breathing cycles or wheezing), tremors or shaking, increase in body temperature or infection / flu-like symptoms. So, if your sleeping or having a poor appetite (i.e., eating problems) tend to continue, you are advised to consult with a qualified physician on an urgent mode.
Those who take drugs belonging to a genre called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibiting meds) are required to stay more careful. Foremost of all, these two meds are never consumed together. It is a safe practice to provide an interval of 15 to 21 days – i.e., start taking trazodone after a gap of 3 weeks from the date of stopping to consume MAO inhibiting drugs. Also, if you are taking meds for respiratory conditions, liver related problems (such as inflammation or cirrhosis of the liver) or cardiac problems, your physician must be made aware of the meds as well as the treatment plans currently pursued.
In sum, trazodone is classified as Category C med. This is prescribed only when the advantages clearly outweigh the demerits. Owing to this, pregnant women need to be careful while using such drugs. When a pregnant woman is displaying episodes of depression, and if it such episodes are turning out to be quite severe / frequent, trazodone may be prescribed. Before intake, consult with your treating doctor to get more inputs about drugs labelled under Category C and the likely effects on fetal wellbeing as well as safety of pregnant women.
Education: Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from the University of Michigan. Experience: Over 8 years of experience writing for health and wellness websites, including WebMD and Healthline, specializing in women’s health and nutrition.
Exclusive 30% OFF for New Customers!
