Carmen 05/07/2010
Question:
I'm pregnant, and my doctor recently told me that I have asthma symptoms. He prescribed a Ventolin inhaler to control it. I was wondering: Can this medicine harm my baby in any way?
Answer:
Ventolin has been categorized as a Category C drug in pregnancy, which indicates that animal studies have shown birth defects in pregnant mice and rabbits. In humans, it can increase the baby's heartrate and blood sugar.
But because asthma is a serious condition that can also affect the pregnancy, it is recommended that patients continue to use it if the benefit outweighs the risk. A similar drug is used to prevent premature labor; therefore its use in pregnancy is well established and has not been associated with defects.