Popular Sedatives Linked To The Risk Of Ectopic Pregnancy

Popular sedatives linked to the risk of ectopic pregnancy

Scientists recommend that women who are planning a pregnancy tell their doctor if they are taking tranquilizers.

Photo: Juan Encalada / Unsplash

Women who take benzodiazepine tranquilizers have an increased risk of ectopic (ectopic) pregnancy, a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction showed.

Benzodiazepine tranquilizers are common medications that relieve anxiety and soothe. These include popular drugs such as diazepam, phenazepam, and alprazolam. In the United States, where a new study was conducted, approximately 3.6% of women aged 18-35 receive a prescription for these drugs within a year.

An ectopic pregnancy is said to be when a fertilized egg is not located in the uterus, but in the fallopian tube, cervix or abdomen. The development of such a pregnancy can be dangerous to health and life, it requires surgical treatment.

It has previously been shown that tranquilizers can affect the contraction of the fallopian tubes. It is also known that the use of these drugs during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage. Therefore, scientists decided to test whether there is a connection between taking benzodiazepines and ectopic pregnancy.

In the study, the researchers turned to a database that contained information on nearly 1,700,000 pregnancies. Almost 18 thousand women, whose data were analyzed, took tranquilizers. They developed ectopic pregnancies 47% more often than women who did not take such drugs.

“Women who are planning a pregnancy and are taking these drugs should talk to their doctor about whether treatment can be changed and then gradually switch to other drugs before they stop using these drugs,” Elizabeth Wall-Wyler told The New York Times. Elizabeth Wall-Wieler, Stanford University Research Fellow, study co-author.

Wall-Wyler added that women who do not have alternative treatment options should let their doctor know when they are going to get pregnant. Early pregnancy monitoring is then critically important.