Symbicort Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

For Symbicort or the concomitant treatment with formoterol and budesonide, no clinical data on exposed pregnancies are available. Data from an embryo-fetal development study in the rat, showed no evidence of any additional effect from the combination.
There are no adequate data from use of formoterol in pregnant women. In animal studies, formoterol has caused adverse effects in reproduction studies at very high systemic exposure levels (see Pharmacology: Toxicology: Preclinical safety data under Actions).
Data on approximately 2000 exposed pregnancies indicate no increased teratogenic risk associated with the use of inhaled budesonide. In animal studies, glucocorticosteroids have been shown to induce malformations (see Pharmacology: Toxicology: Preclinical safety data under Actions). This is not likely to be relevant for humans given recommended doses.
Animal studies have also identified an involvement of excess prenatal glucocorticoids in increased risks for intrauterine growth retardation, adult cardiovascular disease and permanent changes in glucocorticoid receptor density, neurotransmitter turnover and behaviour at exposures below the teratogenic dose range.
During pregnancy, Symbicort should only be used when the benefits outweigh the potential risks. The lowest effective dose of budesonide needed to maintain adequate asthma control should be used.
Budesonide is excreted in breast milk. However, at therapeutic doses no effects on the nursing infant are anticipated. It is not known whether formoterol passes into human breast milk. In rats, small amounts of formoterol have been detected in maternal milk. Administration of Symbicort to women who are breastfeeding should only be considered if the expected benefit to the mother is greater than any possible risk to the child.