Avandia and Pregnancy Risk
The FDA has classified Avandia as a pregnancy Category C medication, meaning that it may not be safe to take the drug during pregnancy. When Avandia was given to pregnant rabbits and rats in mid-to-late pregnancy, it was shown to cause miscarriages and decreased growth. If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about Avandia and pregnancy risk.
Avandia During Pregnancy -- What Are the Risks?
For people who are pregnant, Avandia® (rosiglitazone maleate) may not be safe. This is based on animal studies that looked at the effects of Avandia during pregnancy.
In September 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it would be severely restricting the use of Avandia, due to the risk of "cardiovascular events" such as heart attacks and strokes. Only individuals who cannot control their diabetes on other medications (or those who are already taking the medication and doing well) will be able to take Avandia.
Avandia and Pregnancy Category C
The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans, but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Also, medicines that have not been studied in any pregnant women or animals are automatically given a pregnancy Category C rating.
Avandia was given a pregnancy Category C rating based on studies in pregnant animals. When given to pregnant rabbits and rats in mid-to-late pregnancy, Avandia caused miscarriages and decreased growth of the baby rabbits and rats. Avandia did not cause any problems when given to rats or rabbits early in pregnancy.
It is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
Avandia and Pregnancy Risk: Recommendations
If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, let your healthcare provider know. Your healthcare provider will consider both the benefits and the risks of taking Avandia during pregnancy before making a recommendation for your particular situation.
