Lepixa 500/Lepixa 1000/Lepixa Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Use in Pregnancy: There are no adequate data from the use of Levetiracetam in pregnant women. Studies in animals have shown reproductive toxicity. The potential risk for human is unknown. Levetiracetam should not be used during pregnancy unless clearly necessary. Discontinuation of antiepileptic treatments may result in exacerbation of the disease, which is harmful to the mother and the fetus.
Labor and Delivery: The effect of Levetiracetam on labor and delivery in humans is unknown.
Use in Lactation: Levetiracetam is excreted in human breast milk. Therefore, breastfeeding is not recommended.
Levetiracetam is excreted in human milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from Levetiracetam, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Lepixa: Solution for injection: Pregnancy: Levetiracetam blood levels may decrease during pregnancy (see Seizure Control During Pregnancy as follows).
Pregnancy Category C: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. In animal studies, levetiracetam produced evidence of developmental toxicity, including teratogenic effects, at doses similar to or greater than human therapeutic doses. Levetiracetam should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Oral administration of levetiracetam to female rats throughout pregnancy and lactation led to increased incidences of minor fetal skeletal abnormalities and retarded offspring growth pre- and/or postnatally at doses ≥350 mg/kg/day (equivalent to the maximum recommended human dose of 3000 mg [MRHD] on a mg/m² basis) and with increased pup mortality and offspring behavioral alterations at a dose of 1800 mg/kg/day (6 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis). The developmental no effect dose was 70 mg/kg/day (0.2 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis). There was no overt maternal toxicity at the doses used in this study.
Oral administration of levetiracetam to pregnant rabbits during the period of organogenesis resulted in increased embryofetal mortality and increased incidences of minor fetal skeletal abnormalities at doses ≥600 mg/kg/day (4 times MRHD on a mg/m² basis) and in decreased fetal weights and increased incidences of fetal malformations at a dose of 1800 mg/kg/day (12 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis). The developmental no effect dose was 200 mg/kg/day (equivalent to the MRHD on a mg/m² basis). Maternal toxicity was also observed at 1800 mg/k/day.
When levetiracetam was administered orally to pregnant rats during the period of organogenesis, fetal weights were decreased and the incidence of fetal skeletal variations was increased at a dose of 3600 mg/kg/day (12 times the MRHD). 1200 mg/kg/day (4 times the MRHD) was a developmental no effect dose. There was no evidence of maternal toxicity in this study.
Treatment of rats during the last third of gestation and throughout lactation produced no adverse developmental or maternal effects at doses of up to 1800 mg/kg/day (6 times the MRHD on a mg/m² basis).
Labor and Delivery: The effect of Levetiracetam on labor and delivery in humans is unknown.
Nursing Mothers: Levetiracetam is excreted in human milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from Levetiracetam, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Seizure Control During Pregnancy: Physiological changes may gradually decrease plasma levels of levetiracetam throughout pregnancy. This decrease is more pronounced during the third trimester. It is recommended that patients be monitored carefully during pregnancy. Close monitoring should continue through the postpartum period especially if the dose was changed during pregnancy.