Lipitor And Pregnancy Risk – How does Lipitor affect you and your baby?

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Lipitor and pregnancy do not mix. You should avoid pregnancy if you are currently taking Lipitor. If you are currently taking the medication and discover that you are pregnant or suspect that you are, call your medical doctor immediately.

The drug manufacturer, Pfizer, markets Lipitor as a drug for lowering cholesterol levels. When you take Lipitor, a class of drug called statins, it inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, which is a liver enzyme needed to produce new cholesterol.

Your body and the developing body of your baby depend on cholesterol for many functions as well as the production of important cell structures, digestive enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. This is why Lipitor and pregnancy are a detrimental combination.

Lipitor and Pregnancy Problems

Women who are of reproductive age should talk with their doctor about the problems that could arise from Lipitor and pregnancy.

Of particular concern is the fact that many women are unaware of their pregnancy until a couple of months or the first full trimester has passed. This stage of the fetus’s development is fragile and is the period in which the fundamental limb and organ development takes place.

A pregnant woman who is taking Lipitor will decrease the amount of cholesterol available for the fetus. The fetus could develop malformation of the organs and limbs as a result of low cholesterol amounts.

Lipitor and Pregnancy Studies

Researchers have not performed controlled human pregnancy studies related to Lipitor. However, animal studies have revealed decreased survival rates in the animals along with delays in development and fetal skeleton abnormalities, and issues involving the eyes of the baby animals.

Lipitor and Pregnancy – Raising a Healthy Baby

Experts agree that if you are a woman who is currently taking Lipitor you should stop taking the medication if you are thinking of becoming pregnant. You should not discontinue the medication on your own. Speak with your doctor about reducing your intake and eventually lowering your dosage to zero.

If you find that you are unexpectedly pregnant, call your doctor right away to safely stop the medicine. Taking the medicine while pregnant does not mean your child will experience birth defects. However, it is important to get off the medication to lower the risk of malformations during the baby’s development.

Doctors will recommend that you continue to avoid Lipitor after the birth of your child if you choose to breastfeed. Research has not confirmed that the drug passed through human breast milk. However, you should not take Lipitor while breastfeeding to avoid potential adverse health risks.

Know your cholesterol options while pregnant

Controlling your cholesterol is important but so is the health of your unborn baby. If you are pregnant and unable to take cholesterol-lowering drugs, then you should consider improvements to your daily diet and lifestyle.

You can increase the level of good (HDL) cholesterol and lower the level of bad (LDL) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides in your blood by eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking.

Find out more about Lipitor and Lipitor side effects

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