Amlodipine and fertility / getting pregnant?
Well after multiple phone calls with the doctor who doesn't seem to know much on this, he's put me on Amlodipine 5mg for my high blood pressure usually around 148/103. I picked up my tablets on Friday and last night before I was going to take them I read that they shouldn't be taken if you're wanting to get pregnant, so I googled it and on one hand it says:
"Conclusion: Amlodipine as calcium channel blocker was proved to have a role in improving ovarian blood flow at the time of ovulation and enhancing follicular maturation and thus, it may increase the chances of conception.
The above isn't on the leaflet within the medicine though.
On the other hand it also states:
"Amlodipine falls into category C. There are no good studies in pregnant women.Amlodipine should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known if amlodipine will harm your unborn baby. Amlodipine is not normally recommended in pregnancy or when breastfeeding. If you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking amlodipine. There may be other medicines that are safer for you."
So I haven't taken it yet, I don't know which to believe or what to do now. I talked with the doctor about the fact myself and my partner are trying for a baby and he knew this and put me on this medication. Now I don't know what to do, has anyone else taken this while trying for a baby or pregnant? Is it safe? It's stressing me out more all this with trying to get on the right medication.
Re: Amlodipine and fertility / getting pregnant?
Apart from the previously mentioned methyldopa (Aldomet) which is pregnancy category B, all other BP lowering meds are cat. C or D so your choices are limited. The other BP meds with long track records in pregnancy, albeit still cat C, are labetalol, hydralazine and nifedipine. Nifedipine is also a calcium channel blocker which suggests the newer amlodipine could be okay, but only time will tell. Your other option is to work on reducing your BP with exercise.
