Using Reglan During Pregnancy
Reglan® (
metoclopramide) is a prescription medication that helps food move through the stomach more quickly and helps to relieve nausea and vomiting. Even though it is not approved to treat very severe morning sickness (hyperemesis gravidarum), it is sometimes used for this purpose. Animal studies and limited human studies suggest that Reglan is probably safe for use during pregnancy.
Reglan and Pregnancy Category B
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 B is given to medicines that have not been adequately studied in pregnant humans but do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Even very high doses of Reglan did not cause problems in animal pregnancy studies. Limited human data also suggest that Reglan probably does not cause
problems during pregnancy.
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category B medicine should be given to a pregnant woman only if a healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, let your healthcare provider know. He or she will consider both the benefits and risks of Reglan during pregnancy before making a recommendation for your particular situation.
