Benzodiazepines (Psy and mixed indications)

Study Reference
Aarskog - Diazepam, 1975

Aarskog Letter: Association between maternal intake of diazepam and oral clefts. Lancet 1975; 2:921

Ban (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2012

Ban Live and non-live pregnancy outcomes among women with depression and anxiety: a population-based study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43462

Ban (Controls unexposed, sick), 2012

Ban Live and non-live pregnancy outcomes among women with depression and anxiety: a population-based study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43462

Ban - Diazepam (Other indications) (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2014

Ban First trimester exposure to anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs and the risks of major congenital anomalies: a United Kingdom population-based cohort study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100996

Ban, L. Antenatal exposure to anti-anxiety and hypnotic drugs and the risks of major congenital anomalies: A United Kingdom population-based cohort study Eur. J. Epidemiol. 2013; 28:S19-.

Ban - Diazepam (Other indications) (Controls unexposed, sick), 2014

Ban First trimester exposure to anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs and the risks of major congenital anomalies: a United Kingdom population-based cohort study. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100996

Bech - Clonazepam, 2018

Bech In utero exposure to antiepileptic drugs is associated with learning disabilities among offspring. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2018; 89:1324-1331

Bech - Clonazepam, 2014

Bech Use of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy and risk of spontaneous abortion and stillbirth: population based cohort study. BMJ 2014; 349:g5159

Bjorkstedt - BZDs, 2025

Bjorkstedt Maternal mental disorders, psychotropic drugs, socioeconomic status, and offspring congenital anomalies. J Int Med Res 2025; 53:3000605241306902

Bjørk - Clonazepam (Mixed indications), 2022

Bjørk Association of Prenatal Exposure to Antiseizure Medication With Risk of Autism and Intellectual Disability. JAMA Neurol 2022; :

Daugaard Association of Prenatal Exposure to Valproate and Other Antiepileptic Drugs With Intellectual Disability and Delayed Childhood Milestones. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2025570

Blotière - Clonazepam (Other indications), 2019

Blotière Risks of 23 specific malformations associated with prenatal exposure to 10 antiepileptic drugs. Neurology 2019; 93:e167-e180

Bonnot - Bromazepam, 2003

Bonnot [In utero exposure to benzodiazepine. Is there a risk for anal atresia with lorazepam?]. Encephale 2003; 29:553-9

Bonnot - BZDs, 2001

Bonnot Maternal exposure to lorazepam and anal atresia in newborns: results from a hypothesis-generating study of benzodiazepines and malformations. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2001; 21:456-8

Bonnot - Clorazepate, 2003

Bonnot [In utero exposure to benzodiazepine. Is there a risk for anal atresia with lorazepam?]. Encephale 2003; 29:553-9

Bonnot - Lorazepam, 2003

Bonnot [In utero exposure to benzodiazepine. Is there a risk for anal atresia with lorazepam?]. Encephale 2003; 29:553-9

Bonnot Maternal exposure to lorazepam and anal atresia in newborns: results from a hypothesis-generating study of benzodiazepines and malformations. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2001; 21:456-8

Bonnot - Oxazepam, 2001

Bonnot Maternal exposure to lorazepam and anal atresia in newborns: results from a hypothesis-generating study of benzodiazepines and malformations. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2001; 21:456-8

Bonnot - Prazepam, 2003

Bonnot [In utero exposure to benzodiazepine. Is there a risk for anal atresia with lorazepam?]. Encephale 2003; 29:553-9

Bonnot - Temazepam, 2003

Bonnot [In utero exposure to benzodiazepine. Is there a risk for anal atresia with lorazepam?]. Encephale 2003; 29:553-9

Bracken - Diazepam, 1981

Bracken Exposure to prescribed drugs in pregnancy and association with congenital malformations. Obstet Gynecol 1981; 58:336-44

Calderon-Margalit - BZDs, 2009

Calderon-Margalit Risk of preterm delivery and other adverse perinatal outcomes in relation to maternal use of psychotropic medications during pregnancy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2009; 201:579.e1-8

Chan - BZDs, 2023

Chan Maternal Benzodiazepines and Z-Drugs Use during Pregnancy and Adverse Birth and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Offspring: A Population-Based Cohort Study. Psychother Psychosom 2023; 92:113-123

Chen - BZDs (Controls unexposed, NOS), 2022

Chen Association of Prenatal Exposure to Benzodiazepines With Development of Autism Spectrum and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2243282

Chen - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sibling), 2022

Chen Association of Prenatal Exposure to Benzodiazepines With Development of Autism Spectrum and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2243282

Chen - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sick), 2022

Chen Association of Prenatal Exposure to Benzodiazepines With Development of Autism Spectrum and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2243282

Christensen - Clonazepam (Indications NOS), 2013

Christensen Prenatal valproate exposure and risk of autism spectrum disorders and childhood autism. JAMA 2013; 309:1696-703

Christensen - Clonazepam (Indications NOS), 2019

Christensen Association of Prenatal Exposure to Valproate and Other Antiepileptic Drugs With Risk for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Offspring. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e186606

Christensen - Clonazepam (Indications other than epilepsy), 2024

Christensen Prenatal exposure to antiseizure medications and fetal growth: a population-based cohort study from the Nordic countries. Lancet Reg Health Eur 2024; 38:100849

Christensen - Clonazepam (Mixed indications), 2015

Christensen Apgar-score in children prenatally exposed to antiepileptic drugs: a population-based cohort study. BMJ Open 2015; 5:e007425

Chuang - BZDs, 2024

Chuang Concomitant use of antidepressants and benzodiazepines during pregnancy and associated risk of congenital malformations: a population-based cohort study in Taiwan. Lancet Psychiatry 2024; 11:601-610

Cifuentes - Alprazolam, 2025

Cifuentes Risk of Congenital Ocular Anomaly After Prenatal Exposure to Medications: A EUROmediCAT Study. Birth Defects Res 2025; 117:e2435

Cornel - BZDs - MACDP, 1996

Cornel Population-based birth-defect and risk-factor surveillance: data from the Northern Netherlands. Int J Risk Saf Med 1996; 8:197-209

Cornel - Oxazepam - The NNL registry, 1996

Cornel Population-based birth-defect and risk-factor surveillance: data from the Northern Netherlands. Int J Risk Saf Med 1996; 8:197-209

Correa-Villasenor - BZDs, 1994

Correa-Villasenor Ebstein's malformation of the tricuspid valve: genetic and environmental factors. The Baltimore-Washington Infant Study Group. Teratology 1994; 50:137-47

Coste - Clonazepam (Mixed indications), 2020

Blotière Risk of early neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with prenatal exposure to the antiepileptic drugs most commonly used during pregnancy: a French nationwide population-based cohort study. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e034829

Coste Risk of early neurodevelopmental disorders associated with in utero exposure to valproate and other antiepileptic drugs: a nationwide cohort study in France. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17362

Czeizel - Diazepam, 2003

Czeizel Short-Term Oral Diazepam Treatment during Pregnancy : A Population-Based Teratological Case-Control Study. Clin Drug Investig 2003; 23:451-62

Kjaer Use of phenytoin, phenobarbital, or diazepam during pregnancy and risk of congenital abnormalities: a case-time-control study. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2007; 16:181-8

Czeizel - Diazepam, 1987

Czeizel Lack of evidence of teratogenicity of benzodiazepine drugs in Hungary. Reprod Toxicol ; 1:183-8

Lakos A teratological evaluation of anticonvulsant drugs. Acta Paediatr Acad Sci Hung 1977; 18:145-53

Delteil - BZDs (Controls unexposed, NOS), 2023

Delteil Benzodiapzepines exposure during pregnancy and risk of severe neurodevelopmental disorders in children Scientific report. 2023; p1-38.

Delteil - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sick), 2023

Delteil Benzodiapzepines exposure during pregnancy and risk of severe neurodevelopmental disorders in children Scientific report. 2023; p1-38.

Elkjaer - Clonazepam (Indications, NOS), 2018

Elkjaer Association Between Prenatal Valproate Exposure and Performance on Standardized Language and Mathematics Tests in School-aged Children. JAMA Neurol 2018; 75:663-671

Figueroa - BZDs, 2010

Figueroa Use of antidepressants during pregnancy and risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the offspring. J Dev Behav Pediatr 2010; 31:641-8

Freeman - BZDs, 2018

Freeman Obstetrical and neonatal outcomes after benzodiazepine exposure during pregnancy: Results from a prospective registry of women with psychiatric disorders. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2018; 53:73-79

Greenberg - BZDs, 1977

Greenberg Maternal drug histories and congenital abnormalities. Br Med J 1977; 2:853-6

Hartz - Chlordiazepoxide, 1975

Hartz Antenatal exposure to meprobamate and chlordiazepoxide in relation to malformations, mental development, and childhood mortality. N Engl J Med 1975; 292:726-8

Hironaka - BZDs (Control exposed to Atypical antipsy), 2011

Hironaka M Maternal mental disorders and pregnancy outcomes: a clinical study in a Japanese population. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2011;37:1283-9

Hironaka - BZDs (Control unexposed, disease free), 2011

Hironaka M Maternal mental disorders and pregnancy outcomes: a clinical study in a Japanese population. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2011;37:1283-9

Hironaka - BZDs (Control unexposed, sick), 2011

Hironaka M Maternal mental disorders and pregnancy outcomes: a clinical study in a Japanese population. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2011;37:1283-9

Huybrechts - BZDs, 2017

Huybrechts Risk of neonatal drug withdrawal after intrauterine co-exposure to opioids and psychotropic medications: cohort study. BMJ 2017; 358:j3326

Ishikawa - BZDs, 2024

Ishikawa Association between exposure to atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy and risk of miscarriage. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2024; 150:562-572

Jackson - BZDs, 2024

Jackson, F.I. Association between psychopharmacotherapy and postpartum hemorrhage AJOG Glob. Rep. 2024; 4:360-.

Källén - BZDs, 2013

Kallen Neonatal complications after maternal concomitant use of SSRI and other central nervous system active drugs during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2012; 32:608-14

Källén The use of central nervous system active drugs during pregnancy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2013; 6:1221-86

Reis Combined use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and sedatives/hypnotics during pregnancy: risk of relatively severe congenital malformations or cardiac defects. A register study. BMJ Open 2013; 3:

Kelty - Alprazolam (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2023

Kelty Safety of Alprazolam Use in Pregnancy in Western Australia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Linked Health Data. J Psychoactive Drugs 2023; :1-7

Kelty - Alprazolam (Controls unexposed, sick), 2023

Kelty Safety of Alprazolam Use in Pregnancy in Western Australia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Linked Health Data. J Psychoactive Drugs 2023; :1-7

Kilic - Clonazepam (Mixed indications), 2014

Kilic Birth outcomes after prenatal exposure to antiepileptic drugs--a population-based study. Epilepsia 2014; 55:1714-21

Kullander - Chlordiazepoxide, 1976

Kullander A prospective study of drugs and pregnancy. I. Psychopharmaca. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 1976; 55:25-33

Laegreid - BZDs, 1990

Laegreid Congenital malformations and maternal consumption of benzodiazepines: a case-control study. Dev Med Child Neurol 1990; 32:432-41

Laegreid a - BZDs, 1992

Laegreid The effect of benzodiazepines on the fetus and the newborn. Neuropediatrics 1992; 23:18-23

Laegreid b - BZDs, 1992

Laegreid Neurodevelopment in late infancy after prenatal exposure to benzodiazepines--a prospective study. Neuropediatrics 1992; 23:60-7

Laegreid c - BZDs, 1992

Laegreid Psychotropic drug use in pregnancy and perinatal death. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 1992; 71:451-7

Laspro - BZDs, 2024

Laspro Association of Commonly Prescribed Antepartum Medications and Incidence of Orofacial Clefting. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2024; :10556656241237679

Lee - Alprazolam, 2022

Lee Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes After Exposure to Alprazolam in Pregnancy. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:854562

Lupattelli - BZDs, 2019

Lupattelli Association of Maternal Use of Benzodiazepines and Z-Hypnotics During Pregnancy With Motor and Communication Skills and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Preschoolers. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e191435

Lupattelli, A. Maternal use of benzodiazepines and z-hypnotics during pregnancy and developmental outcomes in offspring at 5 years of age Pharmacoepidemiol. Drug Saf. 2018; 27:173-.

Meng a - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sibling), 2023

Meng Association between maternal benzodiazepine or Z-hypnotic use in early pregnancy and the risk of stillbirth, preterm birth, and small for gestational age: a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Taiwan. Lancet Psychiatry 2023; 10:499-508

Meng a - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sick), 2023

Meng Association between maternal benzodiazepine or Z-hypnotic use in early pregnancy and the risk of stillbirth, preterm birth, and small for gestational age: a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Taiwan. Lancet Psychiatry 2023; 10:499-508

Meng b - BZDs, 2023

Meng Benzodiazepine Use During Pregnancy and Risk of Miscarriage. JAMA Psychiatry 2023; :

Milkovich - Chlordiazepoxide, 1974

Milkovich Effects of prenatal meprobamate and chlordiazepoxide hydrochloride on human embryonic and fetal development. N Engl J Med 1974; 291:1268-71

Mortensen - BZDs, 2003

Mortensen Psychomotor development in children exposed in utero to benzodiazepines, antidepressants, neuroleptics, and anti-epileptics. Eur J Epidemiol 2003; 18:769-71

Noh - BZDs, 2022

Noh First-trimester exposure to benzodiazepines and risk of congenital malformations in offspring: A population-based cohort study in South Korea. PLoS Med 2022; 19:e1003945

Oberlander - BZDs, 2008

Oberlander TF Major congenital malformations following prenatal exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines using population-based health data. Birth Defects Res B Dev Reprod Toxicol 2008;83:68-76

Oberlander - Clonazepam (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2004

Misri Relation between prenatal maternal mood and anxiety and neonatal health. Can J Psychiatry 2004; 49:684-9

Oberlander Pharmacologic factors associated with transient neonatal symptoms following prenatal psychotropic medication exposure. J Clin Psychiatry 2004; 65:230-7

Reebye Affect Expression and Self-Regulation Capacities of Infants Exposed in utero to Psychotropics. Front Psychiatry 2012; 3:11

Reebye, P.N. Affect expression in prenatally psychotropic exposed and nonexposed mother-infant dyads Infant Ment. Health J. 2002; 23:403-.

Oberlander - Clonazepam (Controls unexposed, sick), 2004

Oberlander Pharmacologic factors associated with transient neonatal symptoms following prenatal psychotropic medication exposure. J Clin Psychiatry 2004; 65:230-7

Reebye Affect Expression and Self-Regulation Capacities of Infants Exposed in utero to Psychotropics. Front Psychiatry 2012; 3:11

Reebye, P.N. Affect expression in prenatally psychotropic exposed and nonexposed mother-infant dyads Infant Ment. Health J. 2002; 23:403-.

Ogawa - BZDs, 2018

Ogawa Maternal exposure to benzodiazepine and risk of preterm birth and low birth weight: A case-control study using a claims database in Japan. Asia Pac Psychiatry 2018; 10:e12309

Ornoy - BZDs, 1998

Ornoy The outcome of children exposed in-utero to benzodiazepines Teratology 1997;55:102A

Ornoy Is benzodiazepine use during pregnancy really teratogenic? Reprod Toxicol 1998; 12:511-5

Radojcic - BZDs, 2017

Radojcic Prenatal exposure to anxiolytic and hypnotic medication in relation to behavioral problems in childhood: A population-based cohort study. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 61:58-65

Robert - BZDs, 1994

Robert Malformation surveillance and maternal drug exposure: the MADRE project. Int J Risk Saf Med 1994; 6:75-118

Rosenberg - Diazepam, 1983

Rosenberg Lack of relation of oral clefts to diazepam use during pregnancy. N Engl J Med 1983; 309:1282-5

Rothman - Diazepam, 1979

Rothman Exogenous Hormones and Other Drug Exposures of Children with Congenital Heart-Disease. American Journal of Epidemiology, 1979, 109(4):433-439.

Safra - Diazepam, 1975

Safra Association between cleft lip with or without cleft palate and prenatal exposure to diazepam. Lancet 1975; 2:478-80

Salisbury - BZDs (Controls unexposed, disease free), 2016

Salisbury The Roles of Maternal Depression, Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Treatment, and Concomitant Benzodiazepine Use on Infant Neurobehavioral Functioning Over the First Postnatal Month. Am J Psychiatry 2016; 173:147-57

Salisbury Newborn neurobehavioral patterns are differentially related to prenatal maternal major depressive disorder and serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Depress Anxiety 2011; 28:1008-19

Salisbury - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sick), 2016

Salisbury The Roles of Maternal Depression, Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Treatment, and Concomitant Benzodiazepine Use on Infant Neurobehavioral Functioning Over the First Postnatal Month. Am J Psychiatry 2016; 173:147-57

Salisbury Newborn neurobehavioral patterns are differentially related to prenatal maternal major depressive disorder and serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Depress Anxiety 2011; 28:1008-19

Saxen - BZDs, 1975

Saxen Letter: Association between maternal intake of diazepam and oral clefts. Lancet 1975; 2:498

Sheehy - BZDs (Controls unexposed, NOS), 2019

Berard, A. Individual benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion Eur. Psychiatry 2019; 56:S118-.

Sheehy Association Between Incident Exposure to Benzodiazepines in Early Pregnancy and Risk of Spontaneous Abortion. JAMA Psychiatry 2019; 76:948-957

Sheehy, O. Incident exposure to benzodiazepine in early pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion Birth Defects Res. 2019; 111:507-.

Zhao, J.-P. Individual benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion Birth Defects Res. 2018; 110:774-.

Sheehy - BZDs (Controls unexposed, sick), 2019

Berard, A. Individual benzodiazepine exposure during early pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion Eur. Psychiatry 2019; 56:S118-.

Sheehy Association Between Incident Exposure to Benzodiazepines in Early Pregnancy and Risk of Spontaneous Abortion. JAMA Psychiatry 2019; 76:948-957

Sheehy, O. Incident exposure to benzodiazepine in early pregnancy and the risk of spontaneous abortion Birth Defects Res. 2019; 111:507-.

Shiono - Diazepam, 1984

Shiono Oral clefts and diazepam use during pregnancy. N Engl J Med 1984; 311:919-20

Szpunar - BZDs, 2022

Szpunar Risk of major malformations in infants after first-trimester exposure to benzodiazepines: Results from the Massachusetts General Hospital National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:751-759

The NAAED - Clonazepam, 2023

Hernández-Díaz Comparative safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. Neurology 2012;78:1692-9

Tikkanen - Diazepam, 1991

Tikkanen Risk factors for ventricular septal defect in Finland. Public Health 1991; 105:99-112

Tikkanen - Diazepam, 1992

Tikkanen Risk factors for conal malformations of the heart. Eur J Epidemiol 1992; 8:48-57

Tikkanen - Diazepam, 1992

Tikkanen Congenital heart disease in the offspring and maternal habits and home exposures during pregnancy. Teratology 1992; 46:447-54

Tinker - BZDs, 2019

Tinker Use of benzodiazepine medications during pregnancy and potential risk for birth defects, National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:613-620

Veiby - Clonazepam (Mixed indications), 2014

Veiby Fetal growth restriction and birth defects with newer and older antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. J. Neurol. 2014; 261:579-88

Viggedal - BZDs, 1993

Viggedal Mental development in late infancy after prenatal exposure to benzodiazepines--a prospective study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1993; 34:295-305

Winship - BZDs, 1984

Winship Maternal drug histories and central nervous system anomalies. Arch Dis Child 1984; 59:1052-60

Yamane - Etizolam, 2011

Yamane, R. Survey of pregnancy outcomes in women who used etizolam Congenit. Anomal. 2011; 51:A7-.

Yonkers - BZDs, 2017

Yonkers Association of Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Benzodiazepine Treatment During Pregnancy With Risk of Adverse Birth Outcomes. JAMA Psychiatry 2017; 74:1145-1152

Yonkers Pregnant women with posttraumatic stress disorder and risk of preterm birth. JAMA Psychiatry 2014; 71:897-904

Zanisi - BZDs, 2022

Zanisi, S. Benzodiazepine use during pregnancy: the Bergamo Teratology Information Service cohort study Clin. Toxicol. 2022; 60:82-.