Zopam Injection Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy: Diazepam crosses the placenta.
First trimester: Diazepam has been reported to increase the risk of congenital malformations when used during the first trimester of pregnancy. Risk-benefit must be carefully considered. However, since the use of benzodiazepines (with the possible exception of anticonvulsant use) is rarely a matter of urgency, it should be avoided during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester.
When diazepam is used as anticonvulsant, risk-benefit must be considered since recent reports suggest an increased incidence of congenital abnormalities in children whose mothers used anticonvulsants during pregnancy: however, a definite cause and effect relationship has not been established.
Chronic usage of benzodiazepines during pregnancy may cause physical dependence with resulting withdrawal symptoms in the neonate.
Use of benzodiazepine hypnotics during the last weeks of pregnancy may result in neonatal CNS depression.
Labour: Use of benzodiazepines just prior to or during labour may cause neonatal flaccidity.
Delivery: When diazepam is administered in doses of more than 30 mg (especially, intramuscularly or intravenously) to women within 15 hours before delivery, the neonate may develop apnea, hypotonia, hypothermia, a reluctance to feed, and impaired metabolic response to cold stress.
Breast-feeding: Diazepam is distributed into breast milk.
Since neonates metabolise benzodiazepines more slowly than adults and accumulation of the benzodiazepine and/or its metabolites may occur, use by nursing mothers may cause sedation, and possibly feeding difficulties and weight loss in the infant.