Risks Associated with Lithium Use During Pregnancy

Prenatal exposure to lithium increases the risk of cardiovascular anomalies, particularly right ventricular outflow defects, although this risk is dose-dependent and generally small. A significant study indicated that the absolute risk of cardiac malformations was approximately 2.41 cases per hundred exposures to lithium compared to 1.15 cases in unexposed individuals. Importantly, when lithium doses are kept below 900 milligrams per day, the associated risks are much lower, highlighting the importance of monitoring and potentially adjusting dosages in pregnant women. The findings suggest that while there are risks linked to lithium use, these must be carefully weighed against the stability of the mother's bipolar disorder and the risks of discontinuing the medication altogether.