BiggerMoms.com

Imatinib, a drug used for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, can cause serious fetal malformations if taken while a woman is pregnant.

In a scientific study, of the use of Imatinib during pregnancy, sixty-three women (50%) delivered a normal infant and 35 women (28%) underwent elective termination, including 3 cases prompted by the identification of a fetal abnormality. Another 18 pregnancies ended in miscarriage.

The remaining 9 cases involved the delivery of an infant with abnormalities, including 1 case of stillbirth. The abnormalities included exomphalos, renal agenesis, hemivertebrae, and, in the stillborn infant, meningocele.

“Our study suggests that a concern about conceiving a child while taking imatinib is justified and that patients should be advised to avoid conception while on treatment,” lead author Dr. Seonaid M. Pye said in a statement. “In those patients who do become pregnant, balancing the risk of the fetus from taking therapy to the risk of the mother from interrupting therapy will be an individual decision.”

Source:
Imatinib Use During Pregnancy May Cause Serious Fetal Abnormalities (cancerpage.com)