Apokyn and Pregnancy

No animal or human studies have been done on Apokyn and pregnancy, so it is not known if this medication is safe for women to use during pregnancy. Apokyn is classified as a pregnancy Category C medication, which means that it may not be safe for pregnant women to take this medication. However, your healthcare provider may still prescribe Apokyn if the benefits of the medication outweigh any possible risks.

 

Apokyn During Pregnancy: An Overview

Apokyn® (apomorphine hydrochloride) is a prescription medication used to treat Parkinson's disease. It is not known if Apokyn is safe for use in pregnant women, as it has not been adequately studied in any pregnant women (or even pregnant animals).
 

Apokyn 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 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 "default" pregnancy Category C rating. This is the case with Apokyn, as it has not been adequately studied in any pregnant women or animals.
 
It is important to keep in mind 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 her healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child. This is a difficult decision to make, as the risks associated with using Apokyn are currently unknown.
 

Apokyn and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts

If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, let your healthcare provider know. He or she will consider the benefits and risks of taking Apokyn during pregnancy before making a recommendation in your particular situation.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;