Flexeril and Pregnancy

In animal studies on Flexeril and pregnancy, the medication did not appear to cause any problems, even at very high doses. As a result, the FDA has classified Flexeril as a pregnancy Category B medication, meaning that the medication is probably safe for use in pregnant women. However, because animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do, a healthcare provider should only prescribe Flexeril to pregnant women when the benefits outweigh the risks.

 

An Overview of Flexeril and Pregnancy

Flexeril® (cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride) is a prescription muscle relaxant. Based on animal studies, it appears that Flexeril is probably safe for use in pregnant women.
 

Flexeril and Pregnancy Category B

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a pregnancy category system to classify the possible risks to a fetus when a specific medicine is taken during pregnancy. Pregnancy Category B is given to medicines that have not been studied in pregnant humans, but do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies.
 
Flexeril has been studied in pregnant rats, rabbits, and mice and did not cause any problems, even at very high doses.
 
However, it is important to note that animals do not always respond to medicines in the same way that humans do. Therefore, a pregnancy Category B medicine should only be given to a pregnant woman if the healthcare provider believes that the benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to the unborn child.
 

Flexeril and Pregnancy: Final Thoughts

If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, let your healthcare provider know. Your healthcare provider will consider both the benefits and risks of taking Flexeril during pregnancy before making a recommendation for your particular situation.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;