Olanzapine and pregnancy. Two case reports

We report on two schizophrenic females who both had unexpected first pregnancies in their midthirties while being treated with olanzapine. Both patients had histories of psychosis of several years with some relapses and were treated previously with traditional antipsychotics. Since they wished to have children, no contraception had been performed past the age of 30. Both pregnancies occurred within a few months after the drug treatment was switched from traditional agents to olanzapine. Olanzapine was continued throughout the pregnancies, which were without complication. It is well known that treatment with traditional neuroleptics may lead to elevated prolactin levels and thus to relative infertility. Like clozapine, olanzapine has minimal effects on prolactin levels. These cases indicate that after switching from traditional neuroleptics to atypical agents, fertility may normalize and unplanned or even unwanted pregnancies may occur. Since olanzapine is widely prescribed, it is essential to inform women about the increased probability of pregnancy and the need of appropriate contraception.