Sumatriptan
PrintWhat 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.