I'm Pregnant -- Can I Take Glucotrol?
For women who are pregnant,
Glucotrol® (
glipizide) or Glucotrol XL
® (glipizide extended release) may not be safe. This is based on animal studies that looked at the effects of Glucotrol during pregnancy.
What Is 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 did 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.
In humans, severely low blood sugar has occurred in babies born to women who were taking Glucotrol at the time of delivery. This medication has also been shown to cause problems in pregnant animals. When given to pregnant rats at very high doses, Glucotrol was mildly toxic to the fetal rats.
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the mother outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
If you are taking Glucotrol and pregnancy occurs, or if you are thinking about becoming pregnant while taking the drug, let your healthcare provider know.
He or she will consider the benefits and the risks before making a recommendation for your particular situation.
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