Until further study,
pregnant women are generally not recommended to take sleeping pills. Your
doctor will likely only prescribe sleeping medications that have been tested on
pregnant women and are proven safe, or if the health benefits outweigh any
risk. If you are pregnant and experiencing insomnia or having trouble sleeping,
always talk to your doctor before using any type of sleep aid to make sure it
will not affect your baby.
Types
There are generally two
types of sleeping pills: prescription sleep aids and over-the-counter (OTC)
sleep aids. Prescription sleeping pills are classified as sedative hypnotics
and affect the receptors in your brain to slow down your nervous system and
induce sleep. OTC sleeping aids typically contain antihistamines, the same
ingredient used in allergy medication. Antihistamines prevent histamines, the
chemical messengers in your brain that promote wakefulness, from attaching to
the cells in your body.
Classifications
The FDA breaks down a medication's
effect on pregnancy into five different categories, from safest to least safe.
Category A medications have been tested in pregnant women and proven safe. On
the opposite end of the scale are Category X drugs, which should never be taken
by pregnant women since they can cause birth defects. There are no sleeping
pills currently classified as Category A.
Prescription Drugs
Limited data exists on the
risks of prescription sleeping pills on pregnancy. The newer,
non-benzodiazepine variety of sleeping pills like Ambien, Lunesta and Rozerem
are considered Category C medications, meaning that initial tests on animals
have raised concerns over the risks of the drug on the fetus, though no studies
have been conducted on pregnant women. While initial studies of benzodiazepine
drugs such as Valium and Xanax indicated that they could cause birth defects
like cleft lip if taken while pregnant, later studies have show no association
between benzodiazepines and increased risk in birth defects, though doctors still
urge caution.
OTC Drugs
Most sleeping pills that can
be purchased over-the-counter, such as Sleep-Eze, Unisom, Sominex or Benadryl,
contain antihistamines. The safest of the OTC sleep aids is Unisom, which
contains the antihistamine doxylamine. When taken as advised, doxylamine shows
no evidence that it is harmful for your baby. Sominex and Benadryl contain an
antihistamine called diphenhydramine. These drugs are rated a Category B,
meaning that even though they are presumed to be safe, you should check with
your doctor.
Side Effects
Prescription sleeping pills
can be addictive. If taken while a woman is pregnant or breast feeding, the
addiction can be passed to your baby and cause withdrawal symptoms. These
symptoms typically include short-term effects like difficulty breathing, muscle
weakness and jitteriness. Side effects for OTC drugs containing antihistamines
can include next-day drowsiness and difficulty concentrating.