Lialda and Pregnancy

If you are taking Lialda and pregnancy occurs, your healthcare provider will weigh the benefits and risks before making a recommendation. The FDA has classified it as a category B Pregnancy drug. Although animal studies on Lialda and pregnancy show that the medication did not cause any problems when it was given to pregnant rats and rabbits, the full risks of taking the drug while pregnant are not known.

Lialda (Mesalamine)

Is Lialda Safe During Pregnancy?

Lialda^® (mesalamine) is probably safe for pregnant women, although the full risks are not known.

Lialda and Pregnancy Category B

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 B is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans but that do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies

When given to pregnant rats and rabbits, Lialda did not cause any problems. However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do and that the full risks of using Lialda during pregnancy are not known. Therefore, a pregnancy Category B medicine should be given to a pregnant woman only if her healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the mother outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.

Lialda and Pregnancy: Recommendations

If you are pregnant, or are thinking about becoming pregnant while taking Lialda, let your healthcare provider know. He or she will consider both the benefits and risks of taking the drug while pregnant before making a recommendation in your particular situation.