Can you take a statin while pregnant?
Statins are safe to use if you are not pregnant but can become pregnant. If you are taking a statin before you know you are pregnant, it is unlikely to harm your unborn baby.
When should I stop taking statins before pregnancy?
Current guidelines recommend working with your doctor to stop taking your statin for at least three months prior to becoming pregnant. The doctor will likely recommend that you stay off the statin for the duration of pregnancy (approximately 40 weeks) and for as long as you choose to breastfeed.
What cholesterol medicine is safe during pregnancy?
The only medications currently acceptable during pregnancy are bile acid sequestrants,1 since they are not systemically absorbed and therefore not felt to pose fetal risk. Use is limited due to side effects of elevated triglycerides and constipation.
What happens if you get pregnant while taking atorvastatin?
“If a woman does become pregnant while on Lipitor, she should stop it immediately and should be warned of potential adverse developmental effects.” There is evidence that links prenatal exposure to statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) with congenital abnormalities.
Why do statins cause birth defects?
Cholesterol is known to be essential for fetal development. Statins, which inhibit cholesterol production, have therefore been considered as potential teratogens and are contraindicated in pregnancy.
Is it bad to have high cholesterol while pregnant?
Increased cholesterol during pregnancy is essential, but if it’s compounded with high levels before conception, it could lead to hypertension and risks. High cholesterol levels during pregnancy are necessary to make steroid hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, which are vital for carrying a pregnancy to term.
What birth defects can statins cause?
Overall, congenital malformations were present in 73 (6.34%) of the pregnancies in which statins were used and 31 416 (3.55%) in which they were not; the unadjusted relative risk for malformations was 1.79 (95% confidence interval 1.43 to 2.23, table 2⇓).
How is high cholesterol treated during pregnancy?
Natural ways to maintain your cholesterol
- get healthy fats from nuts and avocado.
- avoid fried foods.
- limit saturated fats to lower LDL.
- limit sugar to lower triglycerides.
- eat more fiber.
- exercise regularly.
What happens if you have high cholesterol during pregnancy?
High cholesterol during pregnancy can lead to pregnancy-induced hypertension, which can threaten the life of both the mother and child. Low cholesterol can lead to premature labor and low birth weight.
What is a normal cholesterol level during pregnancy?
It’s very common for your cholesterol levels to be high when you’re expecting. “Normal” cholesterol levels are usually between 120 and 190 milligrams/deciliter, but in pregnancy they can be well over 200 milligrams/deciliter.
Can I use statins While I’m Pregnant?
If you are pregnant or thinking about having a baby, you should not take statins. Although the effect of statins during pregnancy is not clear, research has brought up concern of birth defects. Cholesterol is a building block for developing brains, hearts, and limbs.
Should you be taking statins?
Overall, the benefit of statins in reducing heart disease risk is nine times greater than the drugs’ danger of increasing diabetes risk. However, this finding suggests that older patients taking statins should have their blood sugar levels checked regularly.
Do statins raise the risk of Parkinson’s?
People on statins faced an increased risk of a Parkinson’s diagnosis within 2.5 years of starting the drugs, but those odds dipped thereafter. A neurologist who was not involved in the study said the connection between statins and Parkinson’s has been controversial.
Can statins prevent pregnancy complications?
Several animal studies demonstrated that statins prevent pregnancy complications such as recurrent miscarriages and preeclampsia. Epidemiological data collected to date suggest that statins are not major teratogens. Clinical trials should be performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of statins in preventing bad pregnancy outcomes in women.
