A number offactors must be evaluated in order to determine the safety ofany medication that is being considered for use during pregnancy All psychotropic medications diffuse readily across the placenta. No psychotropic medication has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use during the pregnancy and pregnant women have traditionally been excludedfrom pharmacologic research. Numerous studies have shown a high relapse rate in psychiatrkpatient during the pregnancy whose medications were discontinued. When deciding whether or not to treat a psychiatrk patient during the pregnancy the guiding principie is to weigh the risks of fetal exposure to a psychotropic medication against the risks to both the mother and fetus of not treating a psychiatrk illness. Patients with bipolar disorder are at significant risk of relapse ifuntreated, particularly following abrupt discontinuation oflithium. Untreated bipolar illness with recurrence of mania may result in progression of the disorder. Another risk is disease chronkity and treatment resistance