Zytiga and Pregnancy

Can Pregnant Women Take Zytiga?

Zytiga™ (abiraterone acetate) is a prescription medication approved for use in men with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and is resistant to drugs or surgery that reduce testosterone levels. Zytiga can cause harm if given to a pregnant woman. Therefore, this drug should not be used in women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant.

 

What Is Pregnancy Category X?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category X is given to medicines that show problems to the fetus in animal studies or in human use of the medication. With this category, the potential risks clearly outweigh the potential benefits.

 

This medication has not been studied in pregnant women. However, based on the known actions of the medicine, Zytiga can harm an unborn baby or cause a miscarriage. Therefore, women who are pregnant should not be given Zytiga.

 

In fact, women who are pregnant or who are thinking about becoming pregnant should not even touch a Zytiga tablet without protection, such as the use of gloves. This is to prevent any of the medicine from being absorbed through the skin.

 

At this time, it is unknown if Zytiga will harm a developing fetus if the medicine is taken by a male partner during pregnancy. 

Because all of the potential problems have not yet been ruled out, the manufacturer of Zytiga recommends that men taking this drug use a condom when having sex with a female partner who is pregnant during treatment and for at least one week after treatment has ended.

 

Also, couples should use a condom and an additional form of birth control during treatment and for at least one week after treatment has ended if their female partner may become pregnant.