Is it possible to take Plaquenil during pregnancy — a similar question is asked by women who will soon know the joy of motherhood, but who have to take this drug for health reasons. Actually, what worries pregnant women concern not only Plaquenil, but any medications in general, however, the situation with Plaquenil is somewhat different due to the high duration of the course of treatment, which, on average, is 6-12 months.
Modern medicine has accumulated vast experience in the use of Plaquenil during pregnancy and considers it safe enough. In order to dispel doubts that deprive expectant mothers of peace, the answers to the three main questions that pregnant women are asked about the drug under discussion will be given below.
1. How Safe are Plaquenil Generics?
Plaquenil generics really are safe if purchased from a reliable pharmacy. High-quality generic of Plaquenil contains the same active substance as the original Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine sulfate). This guarantees an identical therapeutic effect regardless of the disease in the framework of which this drug was prescribed.
Fears from the category of “all generics are defective” originate from the desire to be overly reinsured in everything and have absolutely no rational background.
2. Can Plaquenil Potentially Harm the Baby?
Hydroxychloroquine really does have the ability to penetrate the placental barrier, and therefore can have a negative impact on the vestibular, auditory, and visual apparatus of the embryo.
However, firstly, this probability is extremely poorly studied and is more theoretical than scientifically confirmed.
And secondly, the effect of hydroxychloroquine on the central nervous system of the embryo is the same dose—dependent as in an adult – the risk of complications directly depends on the amount of the dose taken. A well-chosen dosage of Plaquenil makes the probability of harm to the unborn child almost zero.
Naturally, if the cancellation of Plaquenil does not create risks of serious deterioration of the woman’s condition, then the drug is discontinued, but in most cases this is impossible.
3. Does Plaquenil Suppress the Immune System?
There is one logical miscalculation in this reasoning: Plaquenil is prescribed for autoimmune processes when the immune system behaves excessively aggressively. Consequently, Plaquenil does not weaken the immune system, but returns it to normal functioning, and therefore there is no reason to worry that a pregnant woman will be vulnerable to various infections.
But the increased activity of antibodies, characteristic of autoimmune diseases, poses a real threat to the placenta, since there is no guarantee that it will not be the object of an autoimmune attack.
Conclusion
The conclusion is quite simple: if the attending physician considers it necessary to continue taking Plaquenil during pregnancy, it is better to listen to this recommendation because a sharp exacerbation of lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis poses a much greater threat to the mother and child than the probabilistic toxic effect of hydroxychloroquine sulfate.