Pregnancy outcome following in utero exposure to lithium: a prospective, comparative, observational study.

Lithium taken during the first trimester of pregnancy appears to increase the risk of cardiovascular anomalies in infants, although some of these anomalies resolve spontaneously. Lithium also raises the likelihood of miscarriage. On the other hand, the risk of illness recurrence is high for women who discontinue taking medication during pregnancy, and so the decision should be made on an individual basis. It is recommended that women treated with lithium during organogenesis receive fetal echocardiography and level-2 ultrasound.