Can You Take Adderall While Pregnant? How to Manage ADHD During and After Pregnancy

Doom piles. Procrastination. Zoning out. For moms with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), these symptoms are part of our daily lives. We work hard to find ways to cope with them so we can get by. “[Women] are very good at staying in the closet. If they don’t invite you in, you don’t know how messy the closet is. So they’re very, very good at hiding what’s going on,” explains Patricia Quinn, MD, a developmental pediatrician and cofounder of the National Center for Girls and Women with ADHD.

One of those strategies is taking Adderall, a stimulant medication used to manage ADHD symptoms. But can you take Adderall while pregnant or breastfeeding? Once you get that positive pregnancy test, navigating the safety of medications can be overwhelming. While it’s possible to take Adderall during pregnancy, it’s important to discuss your unique situation with your healthcare provider.

Read on to learn more about the risks and benefits of taking Adderall while pregnant or breastfeeding—plus, get tips to help you manage ADHD during this already tumultuous time.

Key Takeaways

• Experts suggest that for those with moderate to severe ADHD, it’s safe to consider medication for ADHD during pregnancy, “which largely has reassuring safety data.”
• Research shows that overall, Adderall isn’t associated with birth defects or negative long-term outcomes. However, there’s research showing a small increased risk for preeclampsia and preterm birth.
• It’s generally not recommended to take Adderall while breastfeeding, but you should discuss the pros and cons with your healthcare provider.
• Having ADHD increases the risk of postpartum mood disorders. It’s important to make a plan with your healthcare provider—and enlist other support, like a therapist, if you need it.
• In general, there’s no right or wrong answer to whether you should take Adderall during pregnancy. It’s important to weigh the risks and benefits with your healthcare provider and make the decision that best suits your needs.

Can You Take Adderall During Pregnancy?

The decision to take Adderall during pregnancy is a complex and personal one that should be made with the help of your provider. In a 2024 review in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG), experts suggest that for those with moderate to severe ADHD, it’s safe to consider ADHD medication, “which largely has reassuring safety data.” Read on for more details on the safety of taking Adderall while pregnant.

What is Adderall?

Adderall is a name-brand drug made of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It’s used to treat ADHD symptoms. It’s considered a central nervous system stimulant and alters brain chemicals and nerves that cause hyperactivity.

Is Adderall safe during pregnancy?

Research shows that overall, amphetamines (the active drug in Adderall) don’t seem to be associated with major congenital malformations, including cardiac malformations. Some research shows possible increased risk for preeclampsia and preterm birth, although the risks are small. A large, well-controlled study found no increased risks on the long-term outcomes, including neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders, vision issues, hearing impairments or seizures.

For some women, going off Adderall while pregnant can make their ADHD symptoms—which are already known to act up during pregnancy—worse. “You should think about why you’re going off, and make that decision and consultation with your prescribing physician,” Quinn says. “If [their symptoms] were already a problem for them, for some women it’s actually life and death.” If Mom has moderate or severe ADHD, she might forget to take other important medications, miss appointments, have increased stress levels and adopt unhealthy habits, she adds.

Danielle Plummer, PharmD, a pharmacist and women’s health expert, adds that if you decide to go off Adderall while pregnant but took it before you got your positive pregnancy test, “Take a deep breath and relax. There’s no known risk in short-term use while pregnant."

Potential Risks of Taking Adderall While Pregnant

Again, research shows that overall, Adderall isn’t associated with birth defects or negative long-term outcomes. However, some research shows a possible small increased risk for preeclampsia and preterm birth. “The absolute increases in risks are small and, thus, women with significant ADHD shouldn’t be counseled to suspend their ADHD treatment based on these findings,” notes Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Alternatives to Taking Adderall While Pregnant

If taking Adderall during pregnancy isn’t for you, there are a few alternatives and other ways to help manage ADHD, according to experts:

• A different medication. Guanfacine (brand name Intuniv) is an ADHD medication that’s not a stimulant that’s considered safe for pregnancy, says Plummer. She advises trying it out pre-pregnancy, if possible, to see how it makes you feel. “It doesn’t work the same way as the stimulant ADHD medication, so if you know you’re trying to become pregnant, maybe try that out first and see,” she says.
• Self-management with coaching. Working with a coach to develop time-management strategies, establish routines and learn how to make time for self-care can help with everything from concentration to overall quality of life, according to AJOG. (Those time-management skills are twice as helpful during pregnancy and postpartum!)
• Psychotherapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), in particular, has been shown to be helpful with ADHD, as well as with anxiety and depression, which often co-exist with ADHD, says AJOG.
• Exercise. Exercising during pregnancy is a great non-pharmaceutical technique that can help manage ADHD symptoms. Plus, it can help baby stay healthy and prepare your body for delivery.
• Asking for help. This might be hard to do at first, but it’s crucial for your mental health during pregnancy and postpartum—whether you have ADHD or not.

Can You Take Adderall While Breastfeeding?

It’s generally not recommended to take Adderall while breastfeeding, but it’s important to discuss the risks and benefits with your healthcare provider. Based on limited research, taking the prescribed dose doesn’t seem to adversely affect baby. However, amphetamine does enter breast milk—and even baby’s urine—in small amounts. It’s important to monitor baby for irritability, insomnia and feeding difficulty if you’re taking Adderall while breastfeeding. Also keep in mind that taking Adderall at high doses may interfere with milk supply.

When Should You Resume Taking Adderall Postpartum?

If you’ve decided to quit Adderall while pregnant, Quinn says it’s important to look for signs that you might need to restart it postpartum—for example, if you find yourself more irritable, depressed or impulsive than usual. “At delivery as soon as the cord is cut, the progesterone levels in a woman just fall precipitously. And for a lot of women that causes a lot of depression. So, there’s a lot of postpartum depression in women with ADHD,” says Quinn.

One study found that women with ADHD experience postpartum depression at five times the rate of women without ADHD. “They’re very sensitive to the hormonal balance with estrogen and progesterone. And we see more PMS, more problems with their symptoms postpartum, and then you add to that the sleep deprivation of having a new baby and you have the perfect storm for their ADHD symptoms getting worse,” says Quinn.

When it comes to deciding when (or if) you’re ready to go back on medication, it helps to enlist your provider and your support system, such as a therapist. Also, again, if you choose to breastfeed make sure to discuss the pros and cons of taking Adderall while breastfeeding with your provider; for some people the benefits may outweigh potential risks.

To Sum It Up

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can be physically, mentally and emotionally taxing. Going through this time while also managing ADHD might seem daunting, but you have options. Many people take Adderall while pregnant and recent studies show that it’s generally safe. Plummer recommends looking into the National Pregnancy Registry for ADHD Medications. Whether or not you’re interested in joining the registry, there’s useful case studies to help you make decisions. “Talk to your doctors. Look at multiple resources,” says Plummer. “Do your own research.”

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.