An Overview of Femara and Pregnancy
Femara® (
letrozole) is generally not considered safe for women who are pregnant. In previous animal studies involving Femara and pregnancy, the drug caused miscarriages and birth defects.
Femara and Pregnancy Category D
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 D is given to medicines that have shown clear evidence of risk to the fetus in studies. This is a stronger warning than a pregnancy Category C classification. However, a pregnancy Category D medicine may still be given to a pregnant woman if her healthcare provider believes that its benefits to the mother outweigh the possible risks to her unborn child.
Femara was given a pregnancy Category D rating because of problems it caused in animal studies. When given to pregnant rats and rabbits, the drug increased the risk of miscarriages and birth defects (including kidney or urinary tract problems and bone problems).
However, there may be situations in which you and your healthcare provider decide that it is in your best interest to take Femara while pregnant. It is important to remember, however, that the drug is approved for use only in postmenopausal women.
Although Femara is generally not given to pregnant women, it is sometimes used in an "
off-label" fashion before pregnancy to help women get pregnant
(see Clomid vs. Femara).
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