Can You Take Ambien While Pregnant? Tips For Maternal Care Explained

People think of pregnancy as a boon for a woman as she is the one chosen to bear a child. But a woman definitely goes through a lot in this phase of her life, especially in early pregnancy where physical challenges compel her to feel restless all the time. Restlessness directly leads to the issue of insomnia. Sleeping is very important for both the baby and the mother. In this case mothers might take medications to help them sleep. While doctors may prescribe any sleeping pill Ambien is a popular remedy that a pregnant mother would want to use. If you are a pregnant woman can you take Ambien while pregnant?

Ambien For Sleep

Understanding the sleeping pill that is the subject of the conversation is very important. It is a sedative drug belonging to the category of non-benzodiazepines. It is mostly sold as Ambien and its generic name Zolpidem. Its extended version Ambien CR is prescribed for chronic insomnia. There are many regulations for the use of this drug as the Drug Enforcement Administration labels Ambien in the Schedule IV of controlled drugs. Ambien works in our nervous system to cause sleepiness by enhancing the effects of GABAergic neurotransmitters in our brain. This inhibits the neurons that are responsible for excitability and attentiveness. Ambien has many drug interactions like depressants and other sleeping pills.

Are Sleeping Issues Common In Pregnancy?

Issues faced while sleeping are very common in pregnant women as the very recognisable reason is the physical change in the body. Carrying a baby in the womb takes up a lot of the mother’s strength. It keeps putting constant pressure on her back which can cause a disturbance while sleeping at night. Another reason is the constant gastric issues and urge to use the toilet as the pressure on the bladder is too much because of the fetus. Besides these two a pregnant woman goes through a lot of hormonal and mental health challenges. All of these affect her sleep drastically.

Can You Take Ambien While Pregnant?

You can because taking sleep medications like Ambien is very common during pregnancy. Doctors do not prefer pregnant women to use sleep medication. How Ambien will benefit a mother or what changes it will bring to her health can be understood in a sequence. Let us understand what happens if you take Ambien while pregnant in the three trimesters.

Effects of Ambien in Different Trimesters

First Trimester

The first trimester starts from the first week and ends on week 13. Using Ambien during this trimester does not bring a whole lot of issues. Miscarriages take place in this time period but studies have failed to identify Ambien’s role in it. High doses can cause some damage to the neuronal tubes.

Second Trimester

In this trimester which occurs between the 14th and the 27th weeks, taking Ambien while pregnant can cause a serious risk the mother must be careful about. The medication can affect fetal development by entering the placenta. There is a high chance of Ambien coming into contact with the unborn baby. It can further affect fetal growth by altering and lowering the blood circulation in the uterus.

Third Trimester

The effects of Ambien can reach their peak when used in this trimester that spans from the 28th week and ends on the day of birth. One of the first things the mothers will face is difficulty in breathing. Ambien as a CNS depressant can depress our lungs that can affect her overall health. Withdrawal symptoms can also show up when pregnant mothers do not use the drug. A study in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics found that women taking Zolpidem during this period can experience lower weights in the newborn infants. Studies also suggest that using sleep medications during this stage leads to the birth of the child before its anticipated birth date.

Potential Risks of Taking Ambien During Pregnancy

The Food and Drug Administration does not prohibit the use of Ambien when a woman is pregnant. But using a potent drug like Ambien can affect both the mother and the child. Now that we know how Ambien use affects the pregnant woman we have to know what could happen to the newborn baby.

• The baby might have a pale blue skin at birth.
• Infants might face difficulty in breathing properly.
• Babies could be born with excessive sedation and drowsiness.
• Doctors fear a very rare case of “floppy infant syndrome,” where the baby is born with the weakest muscles one could imagine.
• A study in the National Library of Medicine states that use of Ambien does not primarily cause any congenital problems in the newborns. But one congenital heart disease can be seen in babies after birth and it is called tetralogy of Fallot.

Tips for Better Sleep During Pregnancy

Normally taking up a proper Ambien addiction treatment is suggested to get rid of dependence. But in pregnancy cases of abusing Ambien are very uncommon. A study done in Finland and published in the Scientific Report says only 3.2% pregnant women bought and used sedative drugs. So in this case we will focus more on the tips and measures women can take to avoid medications during pregnancy.

• Mothers must take light meals before going to sleep. Eat scrambled eggs or salad sandwiches in dinner.
• Sleep with one or more wedge pillows in between the legs or below the abdomen to support the belly and the back.
• Do normal stretching exercises and yoga to maintain energy levels in the daytime.
• Avoid taking alcohol especially with Ambien and other medications.
• If mothers still face sleep difficulty, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is always there to help them.

Conclusion

Pregnancy needs proper care and guidance from doctors. Medications are necessary for sleep only when you fail to get enough sleep with methods and therapies. Use Ambien carefully in those rare cases. Follow the tips wisely that would allow you to have a sound sleep even when you are using the medication.