rituxan and pregnancy?

Lilly731
Lilly731 Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Hi everyone... My husband finished his treatment for Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in December. His petscan showed a significant decrease and diminishing in activity! We are very happy with this news. Now, he will be on a maintenance program which is Rituxan every 3 months for 2 years. He has already had Rituxan with his Chemo, but the chemo part is done. The oncologist told us that it is safe to start a family even while he is taking the maintenance part of treatment. I was just wondering if anyone else has had experience with Rituxan and pregnancy. I was told that it would not affect the sperm if it could still be made... Any info?

Comments

  • donaldo
    donaldo Member Posts: 36
    #2
    Rituxan is a relativly new drug, so there's not alot of case histories on it. It's one of the milder treatments but I thought I saw something on it and pregnacy, so I looked it up. Rituxin carries the warning do not use while pregnate, becoming pregnate, or breast feeding or birth defects may accure. It goes on to state that this applies to both the mother and father during conception. I'm not sure if your oncoligist has some newer information then what the drug company put out, but I think I would wait to start the family, or put off the maintenance portion of the treatments for now, just to be on the safe side.
  • Lilly731
    Lilly731 Member Posts: 8
    #3
    donaldo said:

    Rituxan is a relativly new drug, so there's not alot of case histories on it. It's one of the milder treatments but I thought I saw something on it and pregnacy, so I looked it up. Rituxin carries the warning do not use while pregnate, becoming pregnate, or breast feeding or birth defects may accure. It goes on to state that this applies to both the mother and father during conception. I'm not sure if your oncoligist has some newer information then what the drug company put out, but I think I would wait to start the family, or put off the maintenance portion of the treatments for now, just to be on the safe side.

    Thank you for the info. I, too, have read that as well. Because it is still so new, it is very vague. Thanks again.
  • ryanscofield
    ryanscofield Member Posts: 1
    #4
    Lilly731 said:

    Thank you for the info. I, too, have read that as well. Because it is still so new, it is very vague. Thanks again.

    I'm in the same position
    I'm in the same position your husband was in when you originally made this post in 2007. How did things work out for you guys? I did sperm banking before treatment started, but my wife and i would prefer to not use it and get pregnant naturally. We're concerned about the risks of birth defects. what was your experience? thanks.

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