Sumatriptan
(Date: April 2020. Version: 1)
This factsheet has been written for members of the public by the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS). UKTIS is a not-for-profit organisation funded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on behalf of UK Health Departments. UKTIS has been providing scientific information to health care providers since 1983 on the effects that medicines, recreational drugs and chemicals may have on the developing baby during pregnancy.
What is it?
Sumatriptan (Imigran®) is a medicine used to treat migraine and cluster headaches (severe recurrent headaches on one side of the head, typically around the eye). Sumatriptan is available in tablet form, as a nasal spray and as an injection.
Is it safe to take sumatriptan in pregnancy?
When deciding whether to use sumatriptan during pregnancy it is important to weigh up the potential benefits to your health and wellbeing against any possible risks to you or your baby, some of which may depend on how many weeks pregnant you are. Your doctor or specialist will be able to help you make decisions about your treatment.
What if I have already taken sumatriptan during pregnancy?
If you are taking any medicines while pregnant, you can discuss this with your doctor. You can then decide together whether ongoing treatment is appropriate, and if so, your doctor will ensure that you are taking the most effective dose.
Can taking sumatriptan in pregnancy cause my baby to be born with birth defects?
A baby’s body and most internal organs are formed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is mainly during this time that some medicines are known to cause birth defects.
Studies of a total of around 3,000 pregnant women taking sumatriptan do not raise concern of a link with birth defects in the baby.
Can taking sumatriptan in pregnancy cause miscarriage?
Three small studies do not suggest taking sumatriptan in early pregnancy is linked to miscarriage. Ongoing research is ideally required to confirm this.
Can taking sumatriptan in pregnancy cause stillbirth?
No studies have addressed whether use of sumatriptan in pregnancy increases the chance of stillbirth.
Can taking sumatriptan in pregnancy cause preterm birth, or my baby to be small at birth (low birth weight)?
Three studies which together include around 700 babies exposed to sumatriptan in the womb do not collectively raise concerns of effects on the baby’s birth weight and the likelihood of preterm delivery.
Can taking sumatriptan in pregnancy cause learning and behavioural problems in the child?
A baby’s brain continues to develop right up until the end of pregnancy. It is therefore possible that taking certain medicines at any stage of pregnancy could have a lasting effect on a child’s learning or behaviour.
No studies have assessed the learning and behaviour of children exposed in the womb to sumatriptan.
Will my baby need extra monitoring during pregnancy?
Most women will be offered a scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy to look for birth defects as part of their routine antenatal care. Taking sumatriptan in pregnancy is not expected to cause problems that would require extra monitoring of your baby.
Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken sumatriptan? We would not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father took sumatriptan before or around the time you became pregnant.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.
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General information
Up to 1 out of every 5 pregnancies ends in a miscarriage, and 1 in 40 babies are born with a birth defect. These are referred to as the background population risks. They describe the chance of these events happening for any pregnancy before taking factors such as the mother’s health during pregnancy, her lifestyle, medicines she takes and the genetic make up of her and the baby’s father into account.
Medicines use in pregnancy
Most medicines used by the mother will cross the placenta and reach the baby. Sometimes this may have beneficial effects for the baby. There are, however, some medicines that can harm a baby’s normal development. How a medicine affects a baby may depend on the stage of pregnancy when the medicine is taken. If you are on regular medication you should discuss these effects with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant.
If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please ensure the doctor or health care professional treating you is aware of your pregnancy.
When deciding whether or not to use a medicine in pregnancy you need to weigh up how the medicine might improve your and/or your unborn baby’s health against any possible problems that the drug may cause. Our bumps leaflets are written to provide you with a summary of what is known about use of a specific medicine in pregnancy so that you can decide together with your health care provider what is best for you and your baby.
Every pregnancy is unique. The decision to start, stop, continue or change a prescribed medicine before or during pregnancy should be made in consultation with your health care provider. It is very helpful if you can record all your medication taken in pregnancy in your hand held maternity records.
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org