Cellcept and Myfortic Linked to Birth Defects and Fetal Loss (Aug 2008)

FDA is advising healthcare professionals about an increased risk of fetal harm when women become pregnant while being treated with the immunosuppressant drugs Cellcept (mycophenolate mofetil) or Myfortic (mycophenolic acid).

Myfortic is approved to prevent kidney transplant rejection. CellCept is approved to prevent heart, liver and kidney transplant rejection. These drugs are also sometimes used to treat immune-mediated conditions such as lupus and erythema multiforme, which are not approved indications.

Taking CellCept and Myfortic during pregnancy increases the risk of spontaneous abortion during the first trimester, and can cause serious congenital malformations, especially external ear and facial abnormalities, including cleft lip and palate. Anomalies of the distal limbs, heart, esophagus, and kidney have also been reported.

Before prescribing these drugs to women of childbearing potential, clinicians should inform them about these risks. They should be counseled about their contraceptive options and must use two effective forms of birth control. In addition, before being started on Cellcept or Myfortic, a woman should have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within one week before taking the drug.

Warnings about the potential for fetal harm have been added to the labeling for Cellcept and Myfortic. FDA is continuing to work with the manufacturers of these drugs to find ways to further reduce the risks of fetal exposure.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Cellcept
• Myfortic
• Birth
• Defect
• Fetal
• Loss
• FDA
• Immunosuppressant
• Liver
• Heart
• Kidney
• Transplant
• Rejection
• Patient
• Safety

[Alimaleo]

@hooba1971 and your baby

[hooba1971]

WTF IS CELLCEPT!!!! DONT TAKE ANYTHING !!!!! "HAve 2 "is not good enough

everything u use becomes a part of UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

[ilovenoy]

I have to take cellcept and I want a baby later on. My doctors say that if you plan on having a baby, they could put you on a different medicine so it wouldn't harm the baby. I also have Lupus. I just advise that you should talk to your doctor first before getting pregnant. I talked to another lady that had a baby that had lupus and taking cellcept that there was no problem because she let the doctor know long before she got pregnant and that they just changed her medication.

[SM27Y]

hi,

i would like to know wether the baby is effected with the male on this drug( myfortic)?

[Sarcia1200]

That was kinda gross and sad at the same time!

[VW98]

They say that you should avoid using teflon period because the coating 'flakes' into the food. Also, it's linked with Alzheimer's, not so much birth defects. But so is aluminum.

[LikaLaruku]

I also hear that if you are preggers that you should avoid cooking with teflon pans for similar reasons.

[robscars123]

omg! fnax rp