Accidentally took one diazepam before I realised I was pregnant

[Lagirl20]

Accidentally took one diazepam before I realised I was pregnant - at four weeks. Online research shows it can have negative effects on the fetus. Would one pill have done harm, or does harm come from sustained/regular use?

Should add it was 5mg

At 4 weeks there isn't a formed placenta so no direct blood transfer between you and the baby, which is essentially just a blob of dividing cells at this stage, so it will be fine.

You could probably take one tablet every single day for the next 8 months and all would be well.

Just calm down and put it out of your mind or this is going to be a very long pregnancy

I was prescribed these in pregnancy. No ill effects, daughter is 8 months now.

Thank you all so much for your replies, I’m very grateful. I (stupidly) Googled it and old studies link use of diazepam in pregnancy to birth defects - but newer studies have debunked these myths. Plus I only took one. Thanks again all ☺️

I had a major operation with anesthetic and painkillers before I knew I was pregnant baby was fine, try and not worry too much.

@SillyBub

At 4 weeks there isn't a formed placenta so no direct blood transfer between you and the baby, which is essentially just a blob of dividing cells at this stage, so it will be fine.

Thanks - but I’m sure the mothers blood does mix with the baby even before the placenta is formed? Otherwise drinking in early pregnancy would be Ok?

@Lagirl20 Many women drink before realising they are pregnant and their babies are fine. As others have said, before the placenta forms, your baby and you don't share a blood supply, so nothing in your bloodstream will pass on to the baby. Placenta starts forming at about 8 weeks and completely takes over in the first trimester. Congratulations on your pregnancy and all the best! ❤️

takes over in the second* trimester, I meant to say

Thank you!!! 💖

It’s not an issue at this early stage because the cells that are dividing are all identical - so if you accidentally destroy or damage some then they can be easily replaced with other identical cells in the same zygote. If you really overdo it then the result is a miscarriage not defects. In a few weeks time this is no longer the case as the cells are destined to become specific organs eg spinal cord or heart, hence can increase the likelihood of defects.

@SweetBabyCheeses99

It’s not an issue at this early stage because the cells that are dividing are all identical - so if you accidentally destroy or damage some then they can be easily replaced with other identical cells in the same zygote. If you really overdo it then the result is a miscarriage not defects. In a few weeks time this is no longer the case as the cells are destined to become specific organs eg spinal cord or heart, hence can increase the likelihood of defects.

Thanks - I did hope this was the case! Grateful it was a mistake I made very early on

I was also prescribed diazepam in my first trimester and Dr assured me it was fine.

@KellyABC

I was also prescribed diazepam in my first trimester and Dr assured me it was fine.

Great to know, thanks for sharing! Do you mind me asking if this was recently?

Yes, it was very recent - I'm now 18 weeks pregnant.

Thank you - and huge congratulations!!

I take 3 prescription diazepam per day and have been monitored throughout my pregnancy. I'm 36 weeks today. Everything with baby is perfect. You'll be fine like pp's say

Congratulations on your pregnancy op x

I’m almost 33 weeks now OP and if I could offer any advice at all to you going forward, it’s to stay as far away from Google as you can while you’re pregnant!

1. at four weeks there's no placenta or anything to unlikely to cause harm to baby. 2. I take diazapam occasionally for muscle spasms. before i got pregnant I asked GP about alternatives as was worried for baby. he said the alternatives were all worse and the odd diazapam (one every few months) isn't going to do anything and it's constant use that could cause issues.

So i really wouldn't worry
PS congrats

I was off my face on Xanax during a long-haul flight when I was 4 weeks pregnant! Everything was fine as it was too early for the embryo to be connected to the blood supply.