A woman may elect to discontinue alcohol once she discovers that she is pregnant. However, women can experience serious symptoms that accompany alcohol withdrawal during pregnancy. According to the World Health Organization, these symptoms can be treated during pregnancy with brief use of benzodiazepine tranquilizers. Medications Currently, the FDA has approved three medications—naltrexone, acamprosate, and disulfiram—for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, there is insufficient data regarding the safety of these medications for pregnant women. * Naltrexone is a nonselective opioid antagonist that is used to treat AUD and opioid use disorder. The long-term effects of naltrexone on the fetus are currently unknown. Animal studies show that naltrexone administered during pregnancy increases the incidence of early fetal loss; however, there are insufficient data available to identify the extent to which this is a risk in pregnant women. * Acamprosate functions as both an antagonist of NMDA and glutamate and an agonist at GABAA receptors, although its molecular mechanism is not completely understood. Acamprosate has been shown to be effective at preventing alcohol relapse during abstinence. Animal data, however, suggests that acamprosate can have possible teratogenic effects on fetuses. * Disulfiram prevents relapse by blocking the metabolism of acetaldehyde after consumption of alcohol which leads to headache, nausea, and vomiting. Some evidence suggests that disulfiram use during the first trimester is associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations such as reduction defects and cleft palate. Additionally, the effects of disulfiram can involve hypertension which can be harmful to both the pregnant woman and the fetus. American Psychiatric Association guidelines recommend that medications not be used to treat alcohol use disorder in pregnant women except in cases of acute alcohol withdrawals or other co-existing conditions. Instead, behavioral interventions are usually preferred as treatments for pregnant women with AUD. Medications should only be used for pregnant women after carefully considering potential risks and harms of the medications versus the benefits of alcohol cessation.
Alcohol and pregnancy
HIV and pregnancy
Diabetes and pregnancy
Smoking and pregnancy
Alcohol and cancer
Alcohol and cardiovascular disease
Circumcision and HIV
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