Chantix and Pregnancy: An Overview
Chantix™ (
varenicline tartrate) is a prescription medication used to help people stop smoking. It may not be safe for use in pregnant women, however.
Chantix and Pregnancy Category C
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 C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans but that do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Also, medicines that have not been studied in any pregnant women or animals are automatically given a pregnancy Category C rating.
When given to pregnant rats and rabbits, Chantix did not cause any birth defects, although it did cause low fetal weight and decreased the fertility of the offspring.
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to pregnant women if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the mother outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
It is important to note that it is not healthy for the baby if the mother smokes. Therefore, Chantix may be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the woman cannot stop smoking on her own and that the benefits of stopping smoking outweigh the risks Chantix presents to the unborn child.
