Diovan and Pregnancy

Because Diovan can cause temporary or permanent problems, including death, to an unborn child, taking the drug during pregnancy is usually not recommended. Among the complications seen with fetuses or newborns exposed to Diovan during pregnancy are kidney failure, deformities of the head and face, and developmental problems with the lungs. Despite these warnings, a healthcare provider may still prescribe Diovan to a pregnant woman if he or she decides that its benefits outweigh the possible risks to her unborn child. If you're taking Diovan and pregnancy occurs (or you are thinking of becoming pregnant), let your healthcare provider know.

 

Is Diovan Safe During Pregnancy? -- An Overview

For people who are pregnant, Diovan® (valsartan) is usually not recommended. This is because during pregnancy, Diovan can cause temporary or permanent problems, including death, to the unborn child.
 

What Is the Risk of Using Diovan During Pregnancy?

Prior to 2006, there was a common belief among healthcare providers regarding the use of Diovan during pregnancy.
 The feeling was that problems with Diovan and pregnancy were generally seen when the drug was taken during the second or third trimester of pregnancy. However, that changed when a study by researchers at Vanderbilt University was published in the June 2006 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine. This study showed that there may in fact also be an increased risk to the fetus if it is exposed to drugs like Diovan during the first trimester. Whether the risk to the fetus is as great in the first trimester as in the second or third trimesters is not known.
 
A few of the complications sometimes seen in fetuses or newborns exposed to Diovan during pregnancy include:
 
  • Extremely Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Developmental problems with the nervous system
  • Developmental problems with the cardiovascular system (this includes the heart and/or blood vessels)
  • Developmental problems with the lungs
  • Kidney failure
  • Deformities of the head and face
  • Loss of life.

 

(Diovan and Pregnancy Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;