Beginning with the seventies literature has brought a series of publications drawing attention to possible effects of lithium on the origin of congenital malformations. The discussion on the teratogenic effects of lithium in world literature has not come to final conclusion yet. The paper reviews some knowledge from home and foreign literature, dealing with the problems of lithium teratogenicity. A series of information has been provided on the basis of metaanalysis of data having been published until 1994 in the review systems MEDLINE, TOXLINE and Lithium Information Center database. The aim of the contribution has been to review the published data on this question. The available literature has shown that teratogenicity of lithium has not been proved univocally. Last studies rather suggest that lithium is not a strong teratogen. In view of the fact that teratogenicity of lithium cannot be safely excluded, the paper recommends that this kind of risk should be taken into account, if lithium administration is considered to be applied in pregnant women, especially during the first three months of pregnancy.

Psychiatrická klinika FN Hradec Králové