My friend was taking an anti-obesity drug,Reductil, for about a week when she found out she is pregnant. Now, she is extremely worried if the drug she took had an adverse effect on her unborn baby. Does the anti-obesity drug have an effect on her baby?

Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

Reductil (sibutramine) is contraindicated (must not be used) during pregnancy, but there is no evidence of effects on the fetus. Most drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy, because their effect on the fetus is not known. This does not mean that these drugs are necessarily harmful, it just means that their safety has not been proven. Based on what I know about the mechanism of action of sibutramine, my educated guess is that a week of Reductil during pregancy has not harmed her baby. I don’t think she should worry too much. Your friend should tell her doctor that she used Reductil during pregnancy, and it’s important not to take any drugs during pregnancy before consulting a physician.?