Isorane Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Reproduction studies have been carried out on rats and rabbits after repeated exposure to Isoflurane at anaesthetic concentrations. In both species there was no effect on fertility, pregnancy or delivery. The viability of the offspring was unaffected.
The correlation between animal study results and human reactions is not known, and insufficient data are present for humans and animals to estimate the risk of teratogenicity in children of women who receive Isoflurane anaesthesia during pregnancy. Isoflurane is not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy.
All anaesthetics should be avoided during pregnancy if possible. Unavoidable anaesthesia with Isoflurane should be undertaken using due caution.
There is an increasing volume of information on the use of Isoflurane in pregnancy and obstetrics anaesthesia and use in operative obstetrical interventions such as Caesarean section is established.
A suitable level of anaesthesia for Caesarean section can be maintained with 0.5-0.75% Isoflurane in oxygen/nitrous oxide. Increased blood loss has been observed, comparable with other volatile anaesthetics (e.g. halothane), in patients undergoing uterine curettage or other gynaecological surgical procedures. Should Isoflurane be administered during lactation, lactation is to be interrupted after the anaesthesia. Lactation can be restarted after the drug has been discharged from the circulation.