Climara and Pregnancy

Although the current information on Climara and pregnancy shows that the drug does not appear to increase the risk of birth defects or other problems, Climara is still considered a pregnancy Category X medication. Since the risks are not fully understood and there is no legitimate medical reason for pregnant women to use Climara, the estrogen drug should not be used during pregnancy.

 

An Overview of Climara and Pregnancy

Climara® (estradiol patch) is a prescription estrogen medication. Pregnant women should not use Climara patches. There is no accepted medical reason for pregnant women to use Climara.
 
It is important to understand that estrogens (such as Climara) are not effective for preventing miscarriages or other problems in pregnancy.
 

Climara 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).
 
Although Climara is a Category X medication, it does not appear to increase the risk of birth defects or other problems. However, because there is no accepted, legitimate medical reason for pregnant women to use Climara and because the risks are not fully understood, it should not be used during pregnancy.
 

Climara and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts

Climara is not approved for any use in pregnant women. If you accidentally used Climara for a while before you realized you were pregnant, it will probably not cause any problems (although you should discuss this with your healthcare provider). If you think you may be pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;