Sex, pregnancy & mood stabilisers

Mood stabilisers have not been reported to have a major adverse effect on sexual function. However if this does happen, you should discuss it with your doctor as a change in dose may help minimise the problem.

Pregnancy

If you are considering trying for a baby, you are well advised to contact your doctor and discuss your options around medication and planning treatment.

Women with mania may lose some of their sexual inhibitions and may have a higher rate of unplanned pregnancy than the general population.

No mood stabiliser is completely safe and therefore it is important that any decision about treatment during pregnancy weighs up the individual risks and benefits.

Taking lithium during pregnancy has a well known risk of heart problems in the foetus. Lithium should be avoided in pregnancy if possible. If lithium is to be discontinued, this would preferably be before the baby is conceived.

It is known that valproate can have harmful effects on the foetus. There is a particular link with spina bifida.

Carbamazepine taken during pregnancy also has a link with increased risk of foetal abnormalities, particularly spina bifida.

Lamotrigine is linked to an increased risk of cleft palate.

NICE guidelines for bipolar disorder recommends that during pregnancy, it is preferable to use antipsychotics that are used as mood stabilisers over other mood stabilisers.

Breast feeding

All mood stabilisers are excreted in breast milk. The benefits and risks of breast feeding should be weighed up. Your options during this period should be discussed with your doctor or psychiatrist.