Valtrex Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Pregnancy: A limited amount of data on the use of valaciclovir and a moderate amount of data on the use of aciclovir in pregnancy is available from pregnancy registries (which have documented the pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to valaciclovir or to oral or intravenous aciclovir (the active metabolite of valaciclovir); 111 and 1246 outcomes (29 and 756 exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy, respectively) and postmarketing experience indicate no malformative or foeto/neonatal toxicity. Animal studies do not show reproductive toxicity for valaciclovir (see Pharmacology: Toxicology: Preclinical safety data under Actions). Valaciclovir should only be used in pregnancy if the potential benefits of treatment outweigh the potential risk.
Breastfeeding: Aciclovir, the principal metabolite of valaciclovir, is excreted in breast milk. However, at therapeutic doses of valaciclovir, no effects on the breastfed newborns/infants are anticipated since the dose ingested by the child is less than 2% of the therapeutic dose of intravenous aciclovir for treatment of neonatal herpes (see Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics under Actions). Valaciclovir should be used with caution during breast feeding and only when clinically indicated.
Fertility: Valaciclovir did not affect fertility in rats dosed by the oral route. At high parenteral doses of aciclovir testicular atrophy and aspermatogenesis have been observed in rats and dogs. No human fertility studies were performed with valaciclovir, but no changes in sperm count, motility or morphology were reported in 20 patients after 6 months of daily treatment with 400 to 1000 mg aciclovir.