An Overview of Using Angeliq During Pregnancy
Angeliq® (drospirenone/estradiol) is a prescription
hormone replacement therapy medication used to treat
menopause symptoms. It is not approved for any use in pregnant women, and there is no accepted medical reason for pregnant women to use it. For these reasons, pregnant women should not take Angeliq.
Angeliq and Pregnancy Category X
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 X is given to medications that should not be used during pregnancy, usually due to serious problems that could occur (such as birth defects or miscarriages).
In animal studies, drospirenone (one of the hormones in Angeliq) increased the risk of miscarriages and slow fetal development. When drospirenone was given to animals in late pregnancy, male offspring developed feminine characteristics (probably because drospirenone works against testosterone and other male hormones). It is not known if these problems will also occur in humans.
Angeliq and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts
Angeliq should never intentionally be used during pregnancy, and it is not approved for women of childbearing age (it is only approved for treating
menopause symptoms). If you take Angeliq and you think you may be pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
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