Beclomethasone Pregnancy and Breast Feeding Warnings
Beclomethasone is also known as: Beclovent, Qvar, Vanceril, Vanceril DS
Overview
If you become pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Beclomethasone Aerosol Solution while you are pregnant. It is not known if Beclomethasone Aerosol Solution is found in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you use Beclomethasone Aerosol Solution, check with your doctor. Discuss any possible risks to your baby.
Beclomethasone Pregnancy Warnings
Beclomethasone has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Beclomethasone administered subcutaneously (not available in the US) has been shown to be teratogenic in animals when given at doses 10 times the doses administered to humans. Teratogenic effects in animals were not seen when beclomethasone was administered at high doses by inhalation or orally. There are no reports of adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients receiving beclomethasone during pregnancy. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Beclomethasone is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.
Successful pregnancy has been reported in patients receiving beclomethasone by inhalation to control asthma. Review of 56 pregnancies in 51 women who received either beclomethasone or oral prednisone found a lower birth weight and higher incidence of premature births but no other adverse effects. Birth weight was lowest in patients experiencing status asthmaticus during pregnancy. In another review of 45 pregnancies in 40 women, beclomethasone use again was not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. One patient, whose pregnancy was complicated by schizophrenia, diabetes mellitus and status asthmaticus, gave birth to an infant with numerous cardiac malformations. In a review of 229,101 deliveries to Michigan Medicaid patients, 395 first-trimester exposures to beclomethasone were recorded and 970 exposures any time during pregnancy. A total of 16 birth defects were reported with first trimester exposure (16 expected). (written communication, Franz Rosa, MD, Food and Drug Administration, 1994) This data does not support an association with adverse fetal outcome.
Beclomethasone Lactation Warnings
There are no data on the excretion of beclomethasone into human milk. However, considering the low systemic absorption of the drug by the mother and rapid metabolism, excretion into milk is unlikely.
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Wolters Kluwer Health and Drugs.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive and should not be utilized as a reference resource beyond the date hereof. This drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients, or recommend therapy. This drug information is a reference resource designed as supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill , knowledge, and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug of drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Multum Information Services, Inc. does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. Copyright 2000-2008 Multum Information Services, Inc. The information in contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
