Antimalarial drugs for rheumatoid disease during pregnancy.

QUESTION

One of my patients, who has rheumatoid arthritis, has just found out she is pregnant. She is being treated with hydroxychloroquine. I could not find anything about the safety of this drug during pregnancy.

ANSWER

Most of the literature on this drug relates to prophylaxis for malaria. Much lower doses than those used for rheumatic diseases are given with no adverse fetal effects. Several studies on use of the drug for rheumatic diseases during pregnancy also failed to show adverse fetal effects, although, in most cases, only first-trimester exposure was reported.