Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Clinical application
Heparin is large and polar, thus unable to cross the placenta
Provides alternative to coumadin, which is teratogenic
PLACENTAL TRANSPORTERS
P-glycoprotein transporter
Pumps back into maternal circulation a variety of drugs and other
agents
Example: cancer drugs and viral protease inhibitors
Clinical benefit
Prevention of toxic effects to the fetus
PHARMACODYNAMIC FACTORS
INFLUENCING DRUG THERAPY
Maternal drug actions
Physiology of some organs (heart, lungs, kidneys, CNS) may be
altered by pregnancy
May require the use of drugs not needed by the same woman when
she is not pregnant
Example: Diuretics in pregnancy induced HF
Fetal therapeutics
Involves drug administration to the pregnant woman with the fetus as
the drug target
Example: Corticosteroids to stimulate lung maturation when pre -term
birth is expected
PHARMACODYNAMIC FACTORS
INFLUENCING DRUG THERAPY
Predictable toxic drug actions in the fetus
Neonatal withdrawal syndrome
Caused by chronic use of opioids by the mother
Drug Comments
Tetracycline Risk of permanent tooth staining in infant
Isoniazid Risk of pyridoxine deficiency in the infant
Barbiturates Lethargy, sedation and poor suck reflexes
Chloral hydrate Drowsiness if infant fed at peak
Diazepam Drug accumulation and sedation
Methadone Risk of withdrawal if breast feeding stops
Iodine Thyroid suppression and risk of cancer
Propylthiouracil Can suppress thyroid function in infant