pregnancy categories

What are pregnancy categories in pharmacology?

Guidance for healthcare providers to assess benefits versus risks for medication use during pregnancy and also provide education to patients

(Pre 2015)

What are the 5 pregnancy categories?

1- Category A

2- Category B

3- Category C

4- Category D

5- Category X

(Pre 2015)

What is category A?

NO EVIDENCE OF RISK in fetus in first trimester (controlled studies) or in later trimesters

(Pre 2015)

What is category B?

NO EVIDENCE OF RISK in animal studies (without controlled studies in pregnant women) OR adverse effects in animal studies (not decreased fertility) that was not seen in controlled human trials

(Pre 2015)

What is category C?

ONLY GIVEN IF benefits outweigh potential risks

• studies in animals show teratogenic, embryonic effects with no controlled trial in humans or no data available

(Pre 2015)

What is category D?

Evidence of human FETAL RISK, but benefits may outweigh risks

(Pre 2015)

What is category X?

Evidence shows FETAL ABNORMALITIES

• risk outweigh possible benefit

(Post 2015)

What are the three pregnancy categories?

(No actual names but this is basically them)

• okay

• questionable

• BAD

(Post 2015)

What are the parameters of the pregnancy categories?

• okay: fetal RISK IS MINIMAL- evidence suggests minimal risk

• meh: fetal RISK CANNOT BE RULED OUT- evidence is inconclusive or inadequate

• BAD: fetal RISK HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED- fetal risk has been seen, choose alternative med