Phenobarbital and pregnancy?

[Booklight]

When my mom was pregnant with me in the 90's, her doctor perscribed her phenobarbital. She didn't have seizures or anything, she had high blood presure. Wth? Why would a doctor prescribe that to a pregnant woman? Luckily her friend, a pharmacist, told her to not take it! Was her doctor trying to kill me, or something? Do they even prescribe phenobarbital for high blood presure? What specific birth defects does it cause?

[tinmuning]

I read that phenobarbital have vasoactive effects in cases of hypertension, however, all of the studies I've read so far are those case studies on animals. I'm not really sure why your mom was given phenobarbital. Regarding the pregnancy issue, phenobarbital may be given to pregnant women under supervision of a physician. Your mom should've asked to take folic acid while on this drug to prevent some birth defects i.e. spina bifida, in which the spinal cord is not completely enclosed. Also exposure to phenobarbital in utero (without taking folic acid) has been shown to cause effects on intelligence, especially on language.

[francis84]

I read in an article that phenobarbital should not be use without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. It could cause harm to the unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. Phenobarbital can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking phenobarbital. Phenobarbital can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

[Booklight]

Thank you for your informative reply.