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- Table 1-2. FDA pregnancy categories. The following definitions have been
- established to assign drugs to appropriate categories for use in pregnant
- women. Modified and reproduced from FDA Drug Bulletin, 1982; 12: 24.
- Regardless of the designated Pregnancy Category or presumed safety, no drug
- should be administered during pregnancy unless it is clearly needed.
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-
- CATEGORY DEFINITION
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-
- A Controlled studies in women fail to demonstrate a risk to the
- fetus in the first trimester, and the possibility of fetal
- (Safest) harm seems remote.
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-
- B Animal studies do not indicate a risk to the fetus and there
- are no controlled human studies,
- OR
- animal studies do show an adverse effect on the fetus but
- well-controlled studies in pregnant women have failed to
- demonstrate a risk to the fetus.
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-
- C Studies have shown the drug to have animal teratogenic or
- embryocidal effects, but there are no controlled studies in
- women
- OR
- no studies are available in either animals or women.
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-
- D Positive evidence of human fetal risk exists, but benefits
- in certain situations (eg, life-threatening situations or
- diseases for which safer drugs cannot be used or are
- ineffective) may make use of the drug acceptable despite its
- risks.
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-
- X Studies in animals or humans have demonstrated fetal abnormal-
- ities or there is evidence of fetal risk based on human
- (Least experience, or both, and the risk clearly outweighs any
- safe) possible benefit.
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