Can I Take Bystolic During Pregnancy?
Bystolic and Pregnancy Category C
The U.
S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a 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 that 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.
When given to pregnant rats in late pregnancy and while breastfeeding, a high
Bystolic dosage caused the following problems:
- Prolonged pregnancy
- Difficult labor or delivery
- Low birth weights in the baby rats
- Decreased maternal care (the mother rats did not take care of the babies as well as normal)
- Stillbirths
- Decreased survival after birth.
When given to rats early in pregnancy, high doses of Bystolic caused the following problems:
- Low fetal weight
- Small and reversible bone problems
- Increased miscarriages.
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines 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.
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