Pregnant Woman on Xanax, Subutex

Question

My daughter who was put on Xanax for depression and anxiety became pregnant about 3 months after starting this medicine. .Could she have been weaned off the Xanax? Another doctor put her on Subutex to get her off the Xanax.They want her to detox after the birth of the baby. What can we expect for her and the baby going through withdrawels from this?

Dr. David Sack · Accepted Answer

Thank you for your question. Obviously you are very concerned about your daughter and for good reason - it is always a serious matter when a pregnant woman is taking prescription drugs. She is lucky to have a parent looking out for her.

The prescription of medications during pregnancy is best managed by an obstetrician with experience in managing patients with substance abuse. It sounds like your daughter is seeing someone familiar with these issues and without more information it is hard to evaluate the specifics of her care. In general, if someone is addicted to opiates it is better to continue subutex until the end of the pregnancy as this is much safer for the baby.

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