Isotretinoin: Still the cause of anxiety for teratogenicity

Isotretinoin is known as a potent teratogenic agent. Pregnancy should be ruled out before isotretinoin is prescribed. In this study, we evaluated the fetal outcomes of pregnant women who had inadvertently been exposed to isotretinoin during or before pregnancy. We collected data of pregnant women who had admitted to the Teratology Information Service due to isotretinoin exposure. Data regarding medications and comorbidities were documented. Outcomes were grouped as: live births, stillbirths, live births with congenital malformations, induced abortions (due to fetal abnormalities), spontaneous abortions, and elective abortions. We found that three women had gone to elective abortions. Three babies were live born without birth defects, of which, maternal exposure periods were between 0 and 3 weeks, 9 and 10 weeks before last menstrual period. One woman, exposed to isotretinoin up to the fourth week of gestation, decided ongoing her pregnancy with no current drug-related complications. Although many risk management programs worldwide have been used to prevent isotretinoin-related teratogenicity, the results of the present study showed that women became pregnant during isotretinoin intake and opted for pregnancy termination. Attention should be paid to the risk management programs mandating effective contraceptions, in order to lessen the drug-related terminations.