I am 15 weeks pregnant and I have clinical depression. Is it safe to continue Valdoxan?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am diagnosed with clinical depression. I am 15 weeks pregnant with a second child, no issues in either pregnancy and no health problems, exercise daily, healthy diet, etc. Can I continue taking my Valdoxan? I ceased taking it (under GP advice) and have been prescribed other antidepressants. Non have been effective. The only medication that has helped with my symptoms has been Valdoxan. Without it, I am moody, anxious, irritable, upset, easily stressed, and a mess. Will see GP again, and psychologist booked but need input from a psychiatrist.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your problem and understand your concern. As of now, Valdoxan (Agomelatine) is a category B drug for pregnancy, which means this drug did not cause any adverse events on animal studies, but there are no adequate data for human use.

There are only limited data of this drug during pregnancy, however considering the effect and side effects this drug can be used in pregnancy. As you have 15-week pregnancy, so the chance of fetal malformations is unlikely as the period of fetal organogenesis is over, so this drug can be used with frequent visits to treating psychiatrist and gynecology to detect early any adverse effects. I hope this helps you.