As a pregnancy Category X medication, Premphase should not be used during pregnancy, as it may cause serious problems, such as birth defects or miscarriages. Also, there is no legitimate medical reason for pregnant women to use this medication. If you are using Premphase and pregnancy accidentally occurs, contact your healthcare provider right away for further instructions.
Premphase and Pregnancy: An Overview
Premphase® (
conjugated estrogens/cyclic medroxyprogesterone) is a prescription hormone replacement medication used to treat
menopause symptoms and to prevent
osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It is not approved for any use in pregnant women. There is no accepted medical reason for pregnant women to use Premphase.
Premphase and Pregnancy Category X
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a 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.
Studies suggest that medroxyprogesterone (the progestin component in Premphase) may increase the risk of birth defects in animals, although it is not clear if this is also true in humans. Because the risks are not fully understood, and because there is no accepted, legitimate medical reason for pregnant women to use Premphase, this medication should not be used during pregnancy.
Premphase and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts
Pregnant women should not take Premphase. If you take the drug and suspect that you may be pregnant, you should contact your healthcare provider for further instructions.
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