
February 16, 2002
Family Planning, Insulin Analogs
Question from Columbus, Ohio, USA:
Is Lantus safe to use in pregnancy? It seems the benefits of stable blood glucose levels may outweigh the risks associated with using it. Is it category C only because it is such a difficult thing to get something approved for pregnancy? Are there any real data to show there is a risk, or just lack of data?
Answer:
I am not aware of any new data on Lantus (insulin glargine) showing risk to a pregnancy. The risk in human pregnancies remains unknown.
Animal studies showed in some rat pups a mildly dilated cerebral ventricle. Whether this is significant or not is unclear. No other abnormalities were noted.
I have had a few patients on Lantus without problems, but you need thousands to make a definitive statement on safety.
OWJ