[Psychotropics, pregnancy, lactation and neurodevelopmental issues: a review]

Young women are at risk of mental problem during pregnancy and postpartum. It is particularly important that the mental health of childbearing women is stable. However, all psychotropic medications diffuse across the placenta and are excreted into breast milk. The fetus is thus at risk of teratogenicity and postnatal behavioural sequelae. Which are today the psychotropics that can take up the challenge of minimizing the risk for the foetus and at the same time limiting the impact of morbidity on the mother ? Medical literature of last ten years is reviewed. The safety issue of psychotropic's use during pregnancy and lactation is still unresolved. Little information is available concerning developmental outcome of children exposed to medication, especially about newer molecules even though recent case reports are encouraging. Larger standardized studies are still needed.