Melatonin use during pregnancy and lactation: A scoping review of human studies – ScienceOpen
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      Melatonin use during pregnancy and lactation: A scoping review of human studies

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          Abstract

          Objective:

          The prevalence of sleep disorders during the perinatal period is high and large health administrative database surveys have shown that the use of exogenous melatonin in pregnant populations is quite common, about 4%. Much of the concern about using melatonin during pregnancy and breastfeeding stems from animal research. Thus, the objective of this article is to provide a critical review of human studies related to exogenous melatonin use during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

          Methods:

          The electronic databases Ovid, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched using terms and keywords related to melatonin, pregnancy, and breastfeeding.

          Results:

          Fifteen studies were included in this review. Eight focused on melatonin use during pregnancy and seven focused on melatonin use during breastfeeding. There was a variety of study designs, including case reports, cohort studies, and clinical trials. There is a lack of randomized, controlled trials examining the efficacy and safety of melatonin as a treatment for sleep disorders during pregnancy or breastfeeding and, notably, insomnia was not the primary outcome measure in any of the studies included in this review. Clinical trials that used exogenous melatonin during pregnancy and breastfeeding for other clinical conditions have not suggested major safety concerns or adverse events.

          Conclusion:

          Contrary to what animal studies have suggested, evidence from clinical studies to date suggests that melatonin use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is probably safe in humans. This review further emphasizes the need for clinical studies on sleep disorders, including exogenous melatonin, during pregnancy and lactation.

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          Most cited references44

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          Melatonin and pregnancy in the human.

          The purpose of this systematic review is to access the current state of knowledge concerning the role for melatonin in human pregnancy. Melatonin is a neuroendocrine hormone secreted nightly by pineal gland and regulates biological rhythms. The nighttime serum concentration of melatonin shows an incremental change toward the end of pregnancy. This small lipophilic indoleamine crosses the placenta freely without being altered. Maternal melatonin enters the fetal circulation with ease providing photoperiodic information to the fetus. Melatonin works in a variety of ways as a circadian rhythm modulator, endocrine modulator, immunomodulator, direct free radical scavenger and indirect antioxidant and cytoprotective agent in human pregnancy, and it appears to be essential for successful pregnancy. It also seems to be involved in correcting the pathophysiology of complications during pregnancy including those due to abortion, pre-eclampsia and fetal brain damage. The scientific evidence supporting a role for melatonin in human pregnancy is summarized.
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            Maternal sleep during pregnancy and poor fetal outcomes: A scoping review of the literature with meta-analysis

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              • Article: not found

              Efficacy of Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Insomnia Symptoms Among Pregnant Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial

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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Braz J Psychiatry
                Braz J Psychiatry
                rbp
                Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry
                Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria
                1516-4446
                1809-452X
                01 November 2021
                May-Jun 2022
                : 44
                : 3
                : 342-348
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
                [2 ]Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
                [3 ]Molecular Brain Science Department, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
                [4 ]Women’s Health Concerns Clinic and Mood Disorder Program, St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
                [5 ]Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
                Author notes
                Correspondence: Benicio N. Frey, 100 West 5th Street, Suite C124, Hamilton L8N 3K7, ON, Canada. E-mail: freybn@ 123456mcmaster.ca
                Author information
                https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8267-943X
                Article
                10.1590/1516-4446-2021-2156
                9169489
                34730672
                ccbb88c3-2fec-4eef-8161-e96f1017cab9

                This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

                History
                : 3 August 2021
                : 1 September 2021
                Categories
                Review Article

                melatonin,pregnancy,breastfeeding,clinical trials
                melatonin, pregnancy, breastfeeding, clinical trials

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