Pregnant women who take Xanax and Valium are at least 40 percent MORE likely to miscarry, new research suggests

• Researchers studied the risks of benzodiazepines to pregnant women
• The most well-known benzos include Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Klonopin.
• Read more: Pregnant woman who smokes marijuana says it helps with pain and nausea

A popular anti-anxiety drug may be putting more than a million pregnant women at risk of miscarriage, new research suggests.

Researchers in Taiwan looked at more than 3 million pregnancies in 2 million women and found that 4.4 percent (136,130) miscarried.

They analyzed the medical histories of all the women in the study and found that women who were prescribed a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, used to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia, were more likely than women who did not take them. On average, women were 70 percent more likely to miscarry. tablet.

Benzodiazepines, also called benzos, are a type of sedative. Some of the most well-known drugs include Xanax, Valium, Ativan, and Klonopin.

The researchers also noted that this increased risk existed even when other co-factors such as the woman's age and health status were taken into account.

The scientists also say the study results mean health professionals need to “carefully balance the risk-benefit ratio when considering the use of benzodiazepines to treat psychiatric and sleep disorders during pregnancy.” He said it highlights his sexuality.

It is estimated that approximately 1.7 percent of pregnant women (approximately 1.2 million people) are prescribed these drugs during the first trimester, and this number has been increasing in recent years.

the study, It was published in the magazine JAMA Psychiatry, They investigated miscarriages in women exposed to benzos only before pregnancy, only during pregnancy, and during both periods.

Long-acting benzos, such as Valium, which are processed more slowly in the body, were shown to increase the risk of miscarriage by 67 percent, while short-acting benzos, such as Vercid, increased the risk of miscarriage by 66 percent. showed an increased risk of

Alprazolam, the generic version of Xanax, was associated with the lowest risk, at 39%.

When benzos are used during pregnancy, they can cross the barrier between the mother and placenta, exposing the fetus to the drug.

Researchers hypothesized that because of the role benzodiazepines play in cell development and growth, exposure to benzodiazepines could cause abnormal fetal development and ultimately lead to miscarriage.

on the other hand, study Although a link has been shown between benzos and miscarriage, researchers are unable to determine a direct link.

Although the researchers identified underlying medical conditions that may have caused the miscarriage, they did not take into account the influence of a combination of factors such as smoking and anxiety.

This finding is noteworthy given the large number of pregnant women who are thought to be taking this drug.

A 2020 study found the international prevalence of benzos during pregnancy to be 1.9 percent.

Meanwhile, another 2019 study found that 2 percent of pregnant women took at least one benzodiazepine during pregnancy.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that less than 1 in 100 women took benzodiazepines or antipsychotics during pregnancy.

The CDC says researchers are unsure whether birth defects or pregnancy complications are related to the drugs themselves or to the underlying mental conditions for which these drugs are used to treat. Stated.

And women who took this type of drug were more likely to have other factors that could lead to birth defects or an increased chance of pregnancy complications.

Studies on the effects of benzos on pregnancy and the fetus have yielded mixed results.

A 2022 study of more than 1.5 million children found that benzodiazepine exposure during pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a group of obstetricians and gynecologists that provides medical recommendations to health care professionals and patients, says research has shown that most antidepressants, including benzos, do not increase the risk of birth defects. He said that it is shown in

However, a 2020 study by researchers at Stanford University found that women who took benzos one week before becoming pregnant had a 50% higher risk of ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus and is fatal to both the fetus and the mother.