Can I Take Luvox CR During Pregnancy?
Luvox CR and Pregnancy Category C
The U.
S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category C is given to medicines that show side effects to the fetus in animal studies but have not been studied in humans. A pregnancy Category C medicine may still be given to a pregnant woman if a healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the woman outweigh the possible risks to the unborn child.
In animal studies, giving
fluvoxamine (the active ingredient in Luvox CR) to pregnant rats increased the chance of miscarriages, eye defects, and low birth weight, as well as the death of the pups during or after birth. In humans, there have been reports of problems in newborn babies born to mothers who were taking fluvoxamine during the last trimester. These problems can be as minor as irritability and as serious as
seizures. Your healthcare provider may consider lowering your
Luvox CR dosage during the last trimester of your pregnancy in order to avoid these problems.
It is important to note that untreated OCD or social
anxiety disorder in the mother may also not be healthy for a baby. Therefore, the medication may be given to pregnant women if a healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
