Doxol Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy: In general, antineoplastic agents when given during the first trimester are believed to cause increases in the risk of congenital malformations, but when given during the second or third trimesters are believed to only increase the risk of growth retardation. Depending upon the nature of the malignancy, the progression of the disease and how advanced the gestation, chemotherapy can, in some cases, be deferred allowing fetal maturation to occur, and in some cases, earlier-than-term delivery may provide an acceptable compromise between maternal and fetal risk.
Due to the potential for fetotoxicity and maternal toxicity demonstrated in animal studies and the lack of adequate, well-controlled human studies, docetaxel must not be used during pregnancy.
Women of childbearing potential should be instructed to avoid pregnancy during docetaxel therapy and to inform the treating physician immediately should this occur. If docetaxel therapy is initiated in a pregnant woman or if a woman becomes pregnant while receiving docetaxel treatment, she should be apprised of the potential harm to the fetus and of the possible risk of losing the pregnancy.
Lactation: It is not known whether docetaxel is excreted into human breast milk and the potential for adverse effects in the nursing infant from docetaxel exposure is unknown. Due of the potential for adverse effects in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue docetaxel, taking into consideration the importance of the drug to the mother.