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With the increasing number of young onset PWPs there is a need for answers to the questions that have been asked about the effect of PD medications on mother and child. Only the individual woman and her doctor can evaluate the effect gestation and delivery would have on her. Even more serious is the potential effect of her medications on the developing embryo and fetus. The PDR is not very helpful in its discussion of possible birth defects resulting from most of the common PD medications. There is no significant data on defects for humans. There were cases of skeletal or visceral anomolies or of spontaneous abortions that were based on studies on rats or rabbits that had been given very large doses of the drugs in question. The best advice given is to weigh risk vs. need. This applies to Sinemet (levodopa- carbidopa), Parlodel (bromocriptine), Symmetrel (amantadine), problems have been noted so far for Permax (pergolide),or Eldepryl (selegiline, deprenyl.) The recommendation is to use these drugs only if clearly needed after a careful weighing of the risks and benefits. Most of the damage to a developing infant from outside agents occurs in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before the mother knows she is pregnant. It is in these first weeks that limbs, organs, eyes, etc. are formed. There is a fairly well defined brief time during these weeks for the development of each structure. A toxic agent in the maternal blood, a lack of nutrient, or an overload of one in some cases, can result in a specific anomoly. After the first trimester the risks decrease. Women with PD should discuss these matters with their physician, but it seems likely there would be no unusual risk with Sinemet after the first trimester. I would quiz my doctor pretty thoroughly and research the literature myself before deciding to take the other medications. It is not recommended to nurse an infant when taking any of these medications. Amantadine is known to be excreted by the mammary gland, and this is not known for the others. Many medications as well as chemicals normally found in foods and beverages appear in mother's milk. Since an infant is so small, a fraction of an adult dose can be toxic. One of my former nutrition students learned why her nursing infant was so hyper after a lecture on this subject. She had been drinking large volumes of high caffeine cola beverage each day. The poor infant was getting a whopping dose with each feeding. She dropped the cola and the infant came down off the walls. We have had many reports here of problems with nausea, and hallucinations in adults from PD meds. Imagine what they would do to an infant! Martha Rohrer (CG for Neal, 77/12) [log in to unmask]