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Taking Zantac While Pregnant
According to data from animal studies, taking Zantac while pregnant does not appear to negatively affect a developing fetus. Because animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do, however, a healthcare provider will only recommend Zantac if he or she believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh the possible risks to the unborn child.
For women who are pregnant, Zantac® (ranitidine hydrochloride) is generally considered safe. This is based on studies of animals that were conducted to better understand the effects of taking Zantac during pregnancy.
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 studied in pregnant humans but do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies.
While pregnancy Category B medications do not appear to have adverse effects in animal studies, it's important to remember that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do. Therefore, a healthcare provider recommending a pregnancy Category B medicine to a pregnant woman still has to weigh the potential benefits of the drug against 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 taking Zantac during pregnancy before making a recommendation for your particular situation.
(Click Heartburn and Pregnancy for more information on dealing with heartburn during pregnancy.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD