Can you take statins while pregnant?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that statins are not recommended for pregnant women. They are rated as “Pregnancy Category X” drugs, which signifies that studies have shown they may cause birth defects and that the risks clearly outweigh any benefit.
What cholesterol medicine is safe during pregnancy?
The only medications currently acceptable during pregnancy are bile acid sequestrants,1 since they are not systemically absorbed and therefore not felt to pose fetal risk. Use is limited due to side effects of elevated triglycerides and constipation.
Can lipitor cause miscarriage?
Atorvastatin Pregnancy Warnings Limited published data have not shown an increased risk of major congenital malformations or miscarriages. Rare cases of congenital anomalies following intrauterine exposure to other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy.
When should I stop taking statins during pregnancy?
Current guidelines recommend working with your doctor to stop taking your statin for at least three months prior to becoming pregnant. The doctor will likely recommend that you stay off the statin for the duration of pregnancy (approximately 40 weeks) and for as long as you choose to breastfeed.
Does atorvastatin cause birth defects?
found based upon 22 cases of birth defects, in which exposure to statins occurred during pregnancy, that the most common anomalies were congenital heart defects and cleft lip with or without cleft palate. In 54.5% of cases, the statin used was atorvastatin [41].
How can I control my cholesterol during pregnancy?
Natural ways to maintain your cholesterol
- get healthy fats from nuts and avocado.
- avoid fried foods.
- limit saturated fats to lower LDL.
- limit sugar to lower triglycerides.
- eat more fiber.
- exercise regularly.
Can you have a healthy pregnancy with high cholesterol?
This is true even in women who have “normal” cholesterol levels pre-pregnancy. For women who already have high cholesterol, the levels can climb even higher. Fortunately, women can take steps to manage their cholesterol throughout their pregnancy to help ensure that they and their babies are as healthy as possible.
Can Lipitor affect fertility?
Atorvastatin treatment affected semen parameters significantly. It also decreased the total number of spermatozoa in ejaculate and sperm vitality, increased morphological abnormalities and total motility, and altered acrosome reaction kinetics.
Do statins affect female fertility?
Statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs, are also effective against a common condition that harms women’s fertility, according to a clinical trial that compared them with a drug often used to treat the condition.
Does atorvastatin cause infertility?
Why is atorvastatin contraindicated in pregnancy?
Statins have traditionally been contraindicated in pregnancy because of a theoretical concern about potential teratogenesis and the role of cholesterol in the developing embryo.
Can high cholesterol affect my baby?
If you had high cholesterol before becoming pregnant the rise might be bigger, but this is temporary and does not pose any risk to you or your baby. In rare cases, women with very high triglycerides before pregnancy develop severely raised triglycerides.