Terbutaline

Terbutaline Sulfate, a drug approved by the FDA to treat asthma, is commonly used “off label” to treat preterm labor.

Premature labor occurs in nearly 20 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S. and an estimated one million women are treated annually with Terbutaline or similar drugs to stop early contractions.

The drug, also marketed under the brand names Brethine and Bricanyl is identified as a developmental neurotoxin and may cause brain damage to the fetus. When the drug is administered to pregnant women it may penetrate to the unborn baby and affect brain development. Terbutaline use during pregnancy may be associated with the following risks to babies:

• brain damage
  
• cognitive deficits
  
• developmental delays
  
• speech defects
  
• movement disorders 
  

The mother may also suffer serious adverse events, such as tachycardia, pulmonary edema, and seizures.

In 1997, the FDA issued its first warning about the use of Terbutaline Sulfate for the treatment and prevention of preterm labor, pointing out that the approved labeling stated that “the drug should not be used for the management of preterm labor.”

The study conducted at Duke University and published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, showed that the use of Terbutaline might leave the brains of children susceptible to other chemicals present in the environment, such as pesticides. The study suggests that certain early drug or chemical exposures can predispose people to particular ailments. Recently, the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program has recommended that Terbutaline no longer be given to women with mild intermittent asthma while they are pregnant.

Note - Do not change medications without first consulting your doctor.

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