Menest and Pregnancy

Pregnant women should never intentionally use Menest. Pregnancy problems or birth defects are not likely to occur with Menest, but there is no legitimate medical reason for a pregnant woman to use the estrogen medication. Until the full risks are understood, Menest and pregnancy will be considered to be a potentially dangerous combination.

 

An Overview of Menest and Pregnancy

Menest® (esterified estrogens) is a prescription hormone replacement medication. It should not be used intentionally by pregnant women, as there is no accepted medical reason for pregnant women to use it. Estrogens (including Menest) are not effective for preventing miscarriages.
 

Menest 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 never be used during pregnancy, usually due to serious problems that could occur (such as birth defects or miscarriages). Menest is almost always considered a pregnancy Category X medication, although this terminology is not used in the prescribing information of Menest, as is common in older medications like Menest.
 
Although Menest is a Category X medication, it probably does not increase the risk of birth defects or other problems. However, because there is no accepted, legitimate medical reason for pregnant women to use Menest and because the risks are not fully understood, it should not be used during pregnancy.
 

Menest and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts

Menest is not approved for any use in pregnant women. 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;