Zovirax Cream Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

A post-marketing aciclovir pregnancy registry has documented pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to any formulation of ZOVIRAX. The registry findings have not shown an increase in the number of birth defects amongst ZOVIRAX exposed subjects compared with the general population, and any birth defects showed no uniqueness or consistent pattern to suggest a common cause.
The use of ZOVIRAX Cream should be considered only when the potential benefits outweigh the possibility of unknown risks.
Systemic administration of aciclovir in internationally accepted standard tests did not produce embryotoxic or teratogenic effects in rabbits, rats or mice.
In a non-standard test in rats, foetal abnormalities were observed but only following such high subcutaneous doses that maternal toxicity was produced. The clinical relevance of these findings is uncertain.
Limited human data show that the drug does pass into breast milk following systemic administration. However, the dosage received by a nursing infant following maternal use of ZOVIRAX Cream would be insignificant.