Fluovex Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Neonates exposed to antipsychotic drugs during the third trimester of pregnancy are at risk for extrapyramidal and/or withdrawal symptoms following delivery. There have been reports of agitation, hypertonia, hypotonia, tremor, somnolence, respiratory distress, and feeding disorder in these neonates. These complications have varied in severity; while in some cases symptoms have been self-limited, in other cases neonates have required intensive care unit support and prolonged hospitalisation.
Fluovex should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the foetus.
Use in Pregnancy: Data on a large number of exposed pregnancies do not indicate a teratogenic effect of fluoxetine. Fluoxetine can be used during pregnancy, but caution should be exercised, especially during late pregnancy or just prior to the onset of labour, since the following effects have been reported in neonates: irritability, tremor, hypotonia, persistent crying, difficulty in sucking or in sleeping. These symptoms may indicate either serotonergic effects or a withdrawal syndrome. The time to occur and the duration of these symptoms may be related to the long half-life of fluoxetine (4-6 days) and its active metabolite, norfluoxetine (4-16 days).
Use in Lactation: Fluoxetine and its metabolite, norfluoxetine, are known to be excreted in human breast milk. Adverse events have been reported in breast-feeding infants. If treatment with fluoxetine is considered necessary, discontinuation of breastfeeding should be considered; however, if breast-feeding is continued, the lowest effective dose of fluoxetine should be prescribed.