Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Aubagio and birth defects

Annette M. Langer-Gould, Neurology 83; 2014:1685.

response to a letter to editor.

Teriflunamide is the active ingredient of leflunomide.

Published literature has about 100 pregnancies with accidental exposure.  There were 56 live births from 64 women with an average of 3 weeks of postconception leflunomide exposure, of which 95 % underwent rapid elimination.  Three of 56 (5.4 %) had major structural defects , 47 % had 3 or more minor structural anomalies, and 35.7 % were delivered preterm.  Exposed infants were significantly smaller at birth and postnatally. 

Recommendation is that a woman on teriflunomide desiring pregnancy should stop medication untila  safe leflunomide level is reached either by natural elimination (approximately two years) or a rapdi elimination procedure.

based on Langer Gould AM.  The pill x 2: what every woman with multiple sclerosis should know.  Neurology 2014; 82: 654-655

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