Is It Ok To Take Melatonin While Pregnant?
Is it ok to take melatonin while pregnant?
Well, melatonin is not really a foreign element that you randomly take to induce sleep. In fact, your body produces a set amount of melatonin every day. Recently, melatonin has become quite trendy among those who wish to get better sleep at night. However, we still do not have enough research proof that shows it is indeed safe to consume melatonin while pregnant.
So, with all the complications of pregnancy and changes in hormonal levels, it is still in doubt if you can have a good night’s sleep with a patch of melatonin.
In this article, we shall break down the effects of melatonin in pregnancy and if it is at all safe to consume during pregnancy.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces. Among all the other things, it is responsible for keeping the body on a 24-hour cycle. This cycle is the daily rhythm that makes sure that you are sleeping well at night and waking up fine in the morning. At times, people prefer taking extra supplements of melatonin to improve their sleep quality.
Both the placenta and ovaries have high melatonin levels and make use of the hormone throughout your pregnancy and delivery. Melatonin levels significantly increase when you are at 24 weeks of pregnancy. It increases even more after 32 weeks.
Melatonin works with oxytocin to help promote labor and delivery. Melatonin levels are way higher at night. This might be the reason why many women tend to go into labor at night or early morning.
Melatonin is also present in the amniotic fluid. Babies depend on the melatonin of their mother while they are still in the uterus and until 9 to 12 weeks after delivery. So, there is a high chance that melatonin supplements can affect both the mother and the baby.
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Is It Ok To Take Melatonin While Pregnant?
The melatonin that is present naturally in the body plays a role in pregnancy. However, we still need more research to properly understand how hormones function in this case. Melatonin has the capability to cross the placenta and bind to the receptors in the fetus. This clearly suggests that melatonin affects the unborn baby. As mentioned before, melatonin levels are highest during the first trimester.
As per the available research, melatonin levels may influence a woman’s ability to become or stay pregnant. One study also suggests that late-night workers who have disrupted melatonin levels likely experience more miscarriages and infertility issues.
“Melatonin likely helps train a circadian rhythm in a fetus, which could potentially impact sleeping patterns after birth. Melatonin may also affect neurological development in a fetus, reducing the likelihood of problems such as brain lesions.”
What Are The Benefits Of Melatonin?
As per studies, melatonin mostly affects babies and mothers during the early stage of pregnancy. However, some animal tests have given out positive correlations between pregnancy outcomes and melatonin.
Here are some of the possible benefits of melatonin for the fetus:
- It is important for the healthy development of the brain.
- It decreases the risk of intrauterine growth infection.
- Melatonin protects against oxidative stress.
- It gives protection against neurobehavioral disorders.
The possible benefits of melatonin on pregnant women include:
- It may increase fertility.
- It decreases the risk of preeclampsia. However, human research on it is still limited.
- Melatonin decreases the chance of premature births.
- It improves placenta functioning.
- It improves sleep, particularly for women working night shifts.
These are only possible benefits. There is no solid proof that melatonin is actually this beneficial for pregnant women. Some people advise against it. So, it is better to consult with your doctor before taking any steps.
How Safe Is It To Take Melatonin Supplements During Pregnancy?
At present, we do not have enough research that can claim that it is safe to take melatonin supplements during pregnancy. In some instances, however, doctors recommend melatonin to pregnant women or the ones trying to get pregnant. For instance, some professionals suggest melatonin to older women who are trying to get pregnant or women suffering from preeclampsia. Doctors also refer melatonin to women suffering from endometriosis.
However, pregnant women who do not have any documented health issues associated with low levels of melatonin should refrain from taking melatonin supplements. As I mentioned, melatonin levels increase multiple times during pregnancy. If you consume melatonin supplements, there is a risk of overdosing your body with melatonin.
While there is not enough research done on the effects of melatonin on pregnant women, the results were certainly negative when done on pregnant rats. Melatonin supplements negatively impacted the size of the litter, along with the growth and mortality rate of the babies. However, these results could not be generalized to humans.
If you are suffering from insomnia during pregnancy, taking melatonin supplements may not be the best idea.
What Can You Take To Sleep While Pregnant?
As per research, 78 percent of people go through sleep deprivation, which increases during the third trimester. Luckily, there are some alternatives for pregnant women who are craving a good night’s sleep.
Here are some tips and tricks you may follow to improve your sleep cycle during pregnancy:
Screen Time Curfew
Shut down every glowing screen one hour before you go to sleep. The lights may affect the natural hormones of the body or circadian rhythms to sleep.
Bedroom Hygiene
Make sure the room is free of any clutter. Set the temperature to something around 65 degrees. You might also want to think about room-darkening curtains to lessen the light in the room.
Improve Your Pillow Game
This may come as a surprise, but your pillow contributes a lot to how you sleep. If you are having sleep issues, just try sleeping with a pillow on the backside, between the knees, and under the belly.
Maintain A Uniform Sleeping Pattern
It is important that you wake up and go to sleep at the very same time every day. This makes your body habituated to the same sleep cycle every day.
Calming Practices
Try doing calming things before you go to sleep. Take a warm shower, meditate, or read a book. Or do anything that you know will make you calm.
Safe Sleep Aids
Unisom is a popular sleeping aid that is perfectly safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor to see if it is at all safe for use. Or else your doctor may suggest a better sleeping aid.
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The Bottom Line
It is very natural for first-time mothers to ask if it is ok to take melatonin while pregnant. We do not have enough research on it. So, everyone just needs to rely on what is available on the internet. While this information is factually correct, everybody is different. You never know how your body is going to react to it.
So, it is always feasible to talk to your doctor and get a proper sleep medication that is safe for both you and the baby.
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