Betac Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy: Betaxolol crosses the placenta barrier. The drug was found to cause foetal abnormalities in animals when administered in doses up to 600 times the maximum recommended human dose. Since there are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women, betaxolol should no be administered during pregnancy unless the potential benefits outweigh the hazard to the foetus.
Lactation: Betaxolol is excreted to milk. Since hypotension or bradycardia may appear to the nursing infant, discontinuation of breastfeeding is advisable.
Neonatal aspect: In neonates of treated mothers, the beta-blocking action persists for several days after birth. Though this residual effect may have no clinical consequence, it is nevertheless possible that cardiac failure may occur. This would require hospitalisation in intensive care, in which replacement fluids should be avoided (risk of acute pulmonary oedema). In addition, bradycardia, respiratory distress and hypoglycaemia have been reported, therefore careful monitoring of the neonate (cardiac rate and serum glucose during the first 3 to 5 days of life) is recommended in a specialised setting.