Micardis and Pregnancy

Because Micardis is generally not recommended for pregnant women, many patients want to know more about the potential risks of Micardis and pregnancy. When Micardis is taken during pregnancy, the fetus is at risk of developing temporary or permanent problems. Some of the problems seen with fetuses or newborns exposed to Micardis during pregnancy include deformities of the head and face, developmental problems with the lungs, kidney failure, or loss of life. Despite these warnings, Micardis may still be given to a pregnant woman if her healthcare provider believes that its benefits outweigh the possible risks to the unborn child.

 

Is Micardis Safe During Pregnancy? -- An Overview

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

What Is the Risk of Using Micardis During Pregnancy?

Prior to 2006, there was a common belief among healthcare providers regarding the use of Micardis during pregnancy.
 The feeling was that problems with Micardis 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 Micardis 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.
 
Some of the complications seen with fetuses or newborns exposed to Micardis during pregnancy include:
 
  • 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.

 

(Micardis 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;