Intravitreal bevacizumab during pregnancy.

PURPOSE

To report the clinical course of four women treated with intravitreal bevacizumab during pregnancy.

METHODS

Observational case series.

RESULTS

Four pregnant women were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) because of presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome punctate inner choroidopathy, or sarcoid uveitis. Patients received a mean of 2.6 ± 2.3 injections (range, 1-6 injections) while pregnant. One patient was treated with five additional injections while breastfeeding. The mean follow-up duration after the most recent injection was 14 ± 2.9 months (range, 11-18 months). Snellen visual acuity improved in all 4 patients with a mean of 5.75 ± 2.2 lines (range, 3-8 lines). At the most recent follow-up, all patients had involuted CNV that did not require additional treatment. All patients had an uneventful prenatal course and delivered healthy full-term infants. All children have remained healthy, exhibiting normal development and growth during infancy.

CONCLUSION

Offering pregnant patients intravitreal bevacizumab therapy during pregnancy for off-label ocular indications can result in significant visual improvement. No adverse events related to treatment occurred in any patient included in this study. Additional studies with more patients and longer follow-up duration are required to identify any risks associated with treatment.