adalimumab
Adalimumab injection is to relieve the symptoms of certain autoimmune disorders (conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body and causes pain, swelling, and damage) including the following: rheumatoid arthritis (a condition in which the body attacks its own joints, causing pain, swelling, and loss of function) in adults juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA; a condition that affects children in which the body attacks its own joints, causing pain, swelling, loss of function, and delays in growth and development) Crohn's disease (a condition in which the body attacks the lining of the digestive tract, causing pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fever) that has not improved when treated with other medications in adults and children ulcerative colitis (a condition which causes swelling and sores in the lining of the colon [large intestine] and rectum) when other medications and treatments did not help or could not be tolerated in adults and children ankylosing spondylitis (a condition in which the body attacks the joints of the spine and other areas causing pain and joint damage) in adults psoriatic arthritis (a condition that causes joint pain and swelling and scales on the skin) in adults hidradenitis suppurativa (a skin disease that causes pimple-like bumps in the armpits, groin, and anal area) in adults and teenagers uveitis (swelling and inflammation of different areas of the eye) in adults and children chronic plaque psoriasis (a skin disease in which red, scaly patches form on some areas of the body) in adults Adalimumab injection is in a class of medications called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. They work by blocking the action of TNF, a substance in the body that causes inflammation.
Full drug information on MedlinePlus →This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Decisions about medication use during pregnancy or breastfeeding should be made with your healthcare provider.
Can taking adalimumab affect fertility or make it harder to get pregnant?
It is not known whether adalimumab can make it harder to get pregnant. Studies are ongoing to see whether adalimumab might actually improve some fertility treatment outcomes. Anyone with questions about fertility while taking this medication should discuss them with their healthcare provider.
Does taking adalimumab increase the risk of miscarriage?
Miscarriage can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. Most available studies on adalimumab do not suggest an increased chance of miscarriage. Individual circumstances should be reviewed with a healthcare provider.
Does taking adalimumab increase the risk of birth defects?
About 3 out of 100 babies are born with a birth defect in any pregnancy. One study of women taking TNF inhibitors (including 147 on adalimumab) suggested a slightly higher chance of birth defects compared to women without autoimmune disease, but it was unclear whether this was due to the medication or the underlying condition. Other studies of nearly 700 adalimumab-exposed pregnancies found no increased chance of birth defects; people should discuss what this means for their situation with their healthcare provider.
Can taking adalimumab during pregnancy cause other pregnancy-related complications?
Adalimumab may cross the placenta more in the third trimester than in the first. Studies of women who continued TNF inhibitors, including adalimumab, into the third trimester did not show a higher chance of preterm birth or low birth weight. Decisions about whether to use adalimumab later in pregnancy can be made together with a healthcare provider based on the person's condition and symptoms.
Can taking adalimumab during pregnancy affect the child's brain development, learning, or behavior?
One study that followed infants exposed to TNF inhibitors (including adalimumab) in pregnancy through their first year of life did not find an increased chance of behavior or learning problems. Data in this area are limited, so longer-term questions are best discussed with the child's healthcare provider.
Is it safe to breastfeed while taking adalimumab?
The fact sheet notes that the amount of adalimumab passing into breastmilk is low, and because it is usually not well absorbed by the gut, the amount the baby takes in from breastmilk is expected to be low. A small number of reports describe healthy newborns exposed to adalimumab through breastmilk; if a baby develops symptoms such as vomiting or frequent infections, the child's healthcare provider should be contacted. Breastfeeding questions should be discussed with a healthcare provider.
Source: National Library of Medicine
adalimumab