Lumigan and Pregnancy

In animal studies on Lumigan (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) and pregnancy, the medication caused miscarriages when it was given to pregnant mice and rats. Other problems that have been reported include low birth weight, decreased gestation length, and increased fetal death. If you are using Lumigan and pregnancy occurs, your healthcare provider will weigh the benefits and potential risks before making a recommendation for your situation.

 

An Overview of Lumigan During Pregnancy

Lumigan® (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) is a prescription medication approved to treat glaucoma and high eye pressure. It is part of a group of medications known as prostaglandins. It is not clear whether Lumigan is safe for use during pregnancy, as the full risks are not currently known. Lumigan has been shown to cause serious problems when given to pregnant animals.
 

Lumigan and Pregnancy Category C

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 C is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans but do appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies. Also, medicines that have not been studied in any pregnant women or animals are automatically given a pregnancy Category C rating.
 
Lumigan was given a pregnancy Category C rating because of problems seen in animal studies. When given to pregnant mice and rats, very high doses of Lumigan caused miscarriages. Other problems seen in these animal studies include decreased gestation length (shorter pregnancies), increased late miscarriages, increased fetal death, low birth weight, and decreased survival of the newborn pups. Lumigan has not been studied in pregnant women, and it is not known if similar problems would occur in humans.
 
It is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category C medicine may be given to a pregnant woman if a healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;