Safe Ketamine Use and Pregnancy: A Nationwide Survey and Retrospective Review of Informed Consent, Counseling, and Testing Practices.
The Journal of clinical psychiatry August 26, 2024 Rachel M Pacilio, Juan F Lopez, Sagar V Parikh et al. 7 citations
Many women who could become pregnant receive ketamine for psychiatric conditions, but risks to a developing fetus are frequently overlooked. A survey of U.S. outpatient ketamine clinics found that fewer than half discuss pregnancy-related risks during informed consent, only 20% require pregnancy tests before treatment, and just 13.7% recommend or require contraception. A record review at one academic medical center showed all patients were tested weekly for pregnancy, but only half used contraception. The findings indicate a need for greater attention to reproductive health in ketamine treatment protocols.