Q&A: Could migraine medicine harm by unborn baby?

by Dr. Gerard M. DiLeo

I took 100 mg of Imitrex for a migraine when I was about 4 weeks pregnant. Could taking this medication have harmed my unborn baby?

Imitrex (sumatriptan) is a category C drug according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning that it is potentially harmful to your developing baby but not conclusively so. Most of the studies have found no difference in harmful affects between Imitrex-exposures and non-exposures.

Chances are your unborn baby is just fine. But you should let your health care provider know about taking the medication and also talk to him or her about what medications you might be able to take in the future to keep your headaches under control.

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