Is Novolin 70/30 Safe During Pregnancy?
Novolin
® 70/30 (NPH
insulin/
regular insulin) is a
diabetes medication that contains two different
types of insulin. Like many forms of insulin, the drug is generally considered safe for pregnant women. As an "older" insulin, it has been around long enough for healthcare providers to have plenty of experience with the use of
Novolin 70/30 during pregnancy.
Novolin 70/30 and Pregnancy Category B
The U.
S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a 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 adequately studied in pregnant humans but that do not appear to cause harm to the fetus in animal studies.
The most significant risk to a pregnant woman (or to anyone, for that matter) due to the use of insulin is dangerously low blood sugar. Be sure to check your blood sugar often, and be sure you know exactly what to do if you experience low blood sugar.
Although it was originally thought that insulin molecules are too large to cross the placenta, it is now known that some insulins, in some circumstances, may cross the placenta. In general, most healthcare providers consider Novolin 70/30 safe for use during pregnancy. It is important for
pregnant women with diabetes (including
gestational diabetes) to control their blood sugar, and Novolin 70/30 can be useful to help keep blood sugar under control.
