ADHD Medication in Pregnancy: What New Research Shows
If you take a stimulant or atomoxetine for ADHD and you're pregnant or thinking about it, you've probably wondered how safe it is to stay on your medication. A new study published in Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice gives us some new data to look at.
Study population
Researchers reviewed health records for over 32,000 women who had been on stimulant medication before pregnancy. Once pregnant, each woman fell into one of three groups: those who stayed on a stimulant (n=8394), those who switched to atomoxetine (n=405), and those who stopped medication altogether (n=23,353). The team then compared rates of pregnancy complications across all three groups.
Results of the study
Neither option was risk-free, but the risks looked different depending on the medication. Women who continued a stimulant had somewhat higher odds of complications like preeclampsia and placental issues. Women on atomoxetine had higher odds of fetal growth problems and labor-related complications. Interestingly, stimulants were tied to a lower risk of fetal growth restriction than atomoxetine was.
“The study findings underscore the importance of highlighting the need for careful, individualized treatment planning to optimize both maternal and neonatal outcomes.”
What it means for you
This isn't a study that says one medication is "safe" and the other "unsafe." The researchers were careful to frame it as a tradeoff, describing the risks involved as "modest but measurable risks to pregnancy outcomes." The real takeaway is that stopping medication isn't automatically the lower-risk choice either, since poorly managed ADHD symptoms can affect your ability to sleep, manage stress, and stay engaged in prenatal care.
If you're pregnant or planning to be, this is a conversation to have directly with your psychiatrist and your OB, not a decision to make from one research study. The recommendations for ADHD treatment during pregnancy are constantly evolving and it will be interesting to see how this research article factors into it.
References:
Tuan WJ, Sarkar N, Griffin P, Babinski DE. Comparative Risks of Pregnancy Complications in Women Prescribed Psychostimulants or Atomoxetine During Pregnancy Following Pre-Pregnancy Stimulant Use. Psychiatr Res Clin Pract. 2026 Jul 21:10.1176/appi.prcp.20250149. doi: 10.1176/appi.prcp.20250149. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42500274; PMCID: PMC13398808.