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MotherToBaby

Medications and More during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Methylphenidate

Selected References:

  • Al Hasan S, et al. 2026. Prescription Stimulant Continuation in Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes. J Atten Disord 30(3):315-328.  
  • Aliakbari F, et al. 2022. Relationship between long-term use of Ritalin and semen parameters in patients referred to psychiatric centres. First International Journal of Andrology, 54(11):1-6.  
  • Baker AS, et al. 2018. Management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am, 45(3):495-509.  
  • Bateman B, et. al. 2015. Attention deficit hyperactivity medications during pregnancy and the risk of congenital cardiac malformations: A cohort study, abstracts, 368. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 24:1–587. 
  • Bello G, et al. 2022. Successful lactation after resuming methylphenidate in a woman with narcolepsy. J Clin Sleep Med 18:1891–1894.  
  • Besag F, 2014. ADHD treatment and pregnancy. Drug Saf, 37:397-408. 
  • Bolea-Alamanac B et. al. 2014. Methylphenidate use in pregnancy and lactation: a systematic review of evidence. Br J of Clin Pharm, 77(1):96-101. 
  • Briggs G, et. al. 2017. Drugs in pregnancy and lactation: a reference guide to fetal and neonatal risk. Tenth edition. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health. 
  • Bro SP, et. al. 2015. Adverse pregnancy outcomes after exposure to methylphenidate or atomoxetine during pregnancy. Clinical Epi, 7:139-147. 
  • Camacho X, et al. 2023. The association between psychostimulant use in pregnancy and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes: results from a distributed analysis in two similar jurisdictions. Int J Epidemiol 52(1):190-202. 
  • Cohen JM, et al. 2017. Placental complications associated with psychostimulant use in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 130(6):1192-1201. 
  • Collin-Levesque L, et al. 2018. Infant exposure to methylphenidate and duloxetine during lactation: A case report. Breastfeed Med 13:221–225. 
  • Debooy, VD. 1993. Intravenous pentazocine and methylphenidate abuse during pregnancy. Am J dis Child 147(10):1062-1065. 
  • Diav-Citrin, O et. al. 2016. Methylphenidate in Pregnancy: A multicenter, prospective, comparative, observational study. J Clin Psychiatry, 77(9):1176-1181. 
  • Dideriksen D, et. al. 2013. First trimester in utero exposure to methylphenidate. Basic and Clin Pharm and Tox, 112:73-76. 
  • Golub M, et al. 2005. NTP CERHR Expert Panel Report on the reproductive and developmental toxicity of amphetamine and methamphetamine. Birth Defects Res B Dev Reprod Toxicol, 74(6):471-584. 
  • Hackett LP, et al. 2005. Infant dose and safety of breastfeeding for dexamphetamine and methylphenidate in mothers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Ther Drug Monit 27:220–221. 
  • Hackett LP, et al. 2006. Methylphenidate and breast-feeding. Ann Pharmacother 40:1890–1891. 
  • Haervig KB, et. al. 2014. Use of ADHD medication during pregnancy from 1999-2010: a Danish register-based study. Pharmacoepidemiol and Drug Saf, 23:526-533. 
  • Humphreys C, et. al. 2007. Exposure to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medications during pregnancy. Can Fam Physician, 53:1153-1155. 
  • Huybrechts KF, et al. 2018. Association between methylphenidate and amphetamine use in pregnancy and risk of congenital malformations: a cohort study from the International Pregnancy Safety Study Consortium. JAMA Psychiatry, 75(2):167-175.  
  • Ilett KF, et. al. 2006. Transfer of dexamphetamine into breast milk during treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Br J of Clin Pharm, 63(3):371-375. 
  • Kallen B, et. al. 2013. The use of central nervous system active drugs during pregnancy. Pharmaceuticals, 6:1221-1286. 
  • Kim J, et al. 2025. Managing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a breastfeeding mother: A case report. Pharmacotherapy 45:529–534. 
  • Louik C, et. al. 2015. Increasing use of ADHD medications in pregnancy. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf, 24(2):218-220. 
  • Madsen KB, et al. 2023. In utero exposure to ADHD medication and long-term offspring outcomes. Mol Psychiatry, 28(4):1739-1746.  
  • Madsen KB, et al. 2025. In utero exposure to methylphenidate, amphetamines and atomoxetine and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders – a population-based cohort study and meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry 30(9): 3885-3894. 
  • Malo J et. al. 2015. ADHD drugs, pregnancy and lactation—increasing inquiries and need for more safety data. Birth Def Res Pt A, 103:458-464. 
  • Ornoy A, et al. 2020. The effects of drugs used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on pregnancy outcome and breast feeding: a critical review. Curr Neuropharmacol, Online ahead of print.  
  • Pottegard A, et. al. 2014. First-trimester exposure to methylphenidate: a population-based cohort study. J Clin Psychiatry, 75(1):e88-93. 
  • Spigset O, et. al. 2007. Excretion of methylphenidate in breast milk. Am J Psychiatry, 164:348.  
  • Suarez, EA, et al. 2024. Prescription stimulant use during pregnancy and risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. JAMA Psychiatry, e235073.  
  • Szpunar MJ, et al. 2023. Risk of major malformations in infants after first-trimester exposure to stimulants. J Clin Psychopharmacol, 43:326–332. 
  • Upadhyaya HP, et al. 2003. Neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to dopaminergic agonists in adolescents with alcohol abuse. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 166:95–101. 
  • Wajnberg R, et. al. 2011. Pregnancy outcome after in-utero exposure to methylphenidate: a prospective comparative cohort study. Repro Tox, 31:255-268. 

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