However, there are no reports of babies being born with methotrexate-related birth defects when mom stops taking this medication before conception.Contact your healthcare provider right away so they can discuss your specific situation and any prenatal tests or screening available.One study on infertility patients treated with methotrexate for ectopic pregnancy suggested a decreased number of eggs available for fertilization, however this was temporary. During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the baby is still growing and the brain is still developing. Most ectopic pregnancies occur. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Since methotrexate can be used to abort pregnancies or treat ectopic pregnancies, it seems likely that methotrexate use in early pregnancy would increase the chance of a miscarriage.In every pregnancy, a woman starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. Some brand names for methotrexate are: Otrexup®, Trexall®, Rheumatrex®, and Rasuvo®.Methotrexate decreases the body’s ability to use folic acid. Methotrexate passes into breast milk in small amounts. In every pregnancy, a woman starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. cases, a second or third injection is necessary in the. This often. Methotrexate is a first-line treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

Individuals who have reduced kidney function or a condition that leads to extra body fluid may also clear methotrexate more slowly.Some healthcare providers suggest waiting 1 to 3 months after stopping methotrexate to ensure the medication has been cleared from the body. All rights reserved. This sheet talks about whether exposure to methotrexate may increase the risk for birth defects over that background risk. *There are no studies looking at the effects of methotrexate in the breastfed infant. To treat ectopic pregnancy, methotrexate is typically.

Because of its toxic properties and possible buildup of the drug in an infant’s body, some providers do not recommend methotrexate in breastfeeding.However, some breastfeeding experts believe that weekly low-dose methotrexate, such as the dose used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, has a low chance of problems for the breastfed infant. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Wait at least one menstrual cycle after you stop taking the drug before you try to get pregnant. weeks after the first injection. Males should not take methotrexate when trying for a baby.People can avoid unplanned pregnancies by using an effective form of Doctors may use methotrexate injections to treat an ectopic pregnancy because they interrupt the growth and division of a fertilized egg.Specifically, methotrexate interrupts the supply of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to the fertilized egg. More research is needed on the chances of birth defects related to specific timing and dose of methotrexate to draw firm conclusions.One 2009 review paper reported no increase in miscarriage or birth defect rates in 101 women with rheumatoid arthritis who were exposed to 5-25mg/week of methotrexate in the first trimester. However, the time for methotrexate to leave the body can vary from person to person and also by dose. Partners should stop taking methotrexate at least 3 months before getting pregnant.People using methotrexate who are planning on becoming pregnant should speak with their doctor first.

She served as a sounding board & played a very important part of our adoption process.