If you or your partner has chronic hepatitis C, then you need to understand the importance of planning for a family.
The fact is that any hepatitis C therapy including those that include ribavirin may cause birth defects and/or death of an unborn child. If you are pregnant, you or your male partner must not take PEGINTRON®/REBETOL® combination therapy. You must not become pregnant while either you or your partner are being treated with the combination PEGINTRON®/REBETOL® therapy, or for 6 months after stopping therapy. If you are a woman, you will be given a pregnancy test before starting therapy, and your result must be negative. You will not be able to start therapy if you are pregnant. For a man who is planning therapy, your partner must have a negative pregnancy test before you can start the medicine.
Harm to the fetus is among the most serious possible side effects of REBETOL® therapy. Therefore, talk to your health care provider about family planning for you and your partner. Also, be aware that:
- If you are pregnant, you or your male partner must not take PEGINTRON®/REBETOL® (Ribavirin, USP) Capsules combination therapy.
- If you are a woman, you must not become pregnant during treatment and for 6 months after you have stopped therapy.
- Both male and female patients must use at least two effective forms of birth control during treatment and for the 6 months after treatment. Male patients should use a condom.
- If you are a female, you must use birth control even if you believe that you are not fertile or that your ferility is low.
- If you are a female patient, you will be tested for pregnancy every month during treatment and for 6 months after completion.
- If you are a male patient, your partner will be tested for pregnancy every month during your treatment and for 6 months thereafter.
- You must have a negative pregnancy test immediately before beginning treatment, during treatment, and for 6 months after you have stopped therapy.
If you or your partner are being treated and you become pregnant, either during treatment or within 6 months of stopping treatment, call your health care provider right away. Also, you or your health care provider should call the Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry at 1-800-593-2214.
For more information on this important subject, talk to your health care provider now, and consider joining The Be In Charge® Program to talk to nurse counselors who are experts on this subject.
