Pravachol and Pregnancy

Given the possible risks of Prevacor, many patients want to know more about Pravachol and pregnancy. Pravachol is considered a pregnancy Category X medicine, which means it could potentially cause harm to an unborn child. Healthcare providers will generally not recommend Pravachol during pregnancy. This is because the effects of high cholesterol do not cause problems for many years (or even decades), and temporarily putting of treatment will have little impact on any long-term risks to the mother.

 

Pravachol and Pregnancy: An Overview

Pravachol® (pravastatin sodium) is a pregnancy Category X medicine, meaning that Pravachol could potentially cause harm to your unborn child. Therefore, Pravachol is not recommended in women who are pregnant. If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider immediately.
 

Pravachol and Pregnancy Category X

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 X is given to medicines that show problems to the fetus in pregnant animal studies or in humans who have mistakenly taken the medicine. The use of a Category X medicine during pregnancy is not recommended.
 

Pravachol and Pregnancy: Suggestions

The
 effects of high cholesterol do not cause problems for many years, or even decades. Therefore, it should be expected that if a woman does not take cholesterol medicine during pregnancy, it will have little impact on any long-term risks. Since there is little benefit and a very real risk during pregnancy, your healthcare provider will recommend that you do not take Pravachol while pregnant. For women who are thinking of becoming pregnant, please make sure that you discuss Pravachol and pregnancy with your healthcare provider.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;