An Overview of Pindolol and Pregnancy
Pindolol (
Visken®) is a prescription
beta blocker medication approved to
treat high blood pressure. Based on the results of animal studies, pindolol does not seem to pose a significant risk to a developing fetus, although the full risks are currently unknown.
The U.
S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy 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 adequately studied in pregnant humans but do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Medications that have been shown to be safe for use in pregnancy in humans (even though they have caused problems in laboratory animals) are also given a Category B rating.
When given to pregnant rats and rabbits, very high doses of pindolol did not cause problems. However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category B medicine can be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
With beta blockers in general, there have been reports of slowed intrauterine growth, small placentas, and birth defects related to the use of beta blockers during pregnancy. There have also been reports of a very low heart rate, low blood sugars, and/or decreased breathing in some newborns whose mothers took beta blockers just before or during childbirth.
