This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby, especially if used during the first
trimester of pregnancy.
Do not use mycophenolate mofetil without telling your
doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant during treatment.
If you are a woman of child-bearing potential, you will be required to use two forms of
birth control to prevent pregnancy before and during your treatment with
mycophenolate mofetil, and for at least 6 weeks after your treatment ends. You will also need to
have a negative pregnancy test within 1 week before you start using this medication.
Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while using mycophenolate
mofetil.
Although mycophenolate mofetil can cause harm to an unborn baby, not treating the
mother after a transplant could pose a greater risk to the mother's health. Mycophenolate mofetil
is sometimes given to pregnant women who are unable to take other needed transplant
medications. Your doctor will decide whether you should receive this medication.
Using mycophenolate mofetil can make it easier for you to bleed from an injury or get
sick from being around others who are ill. You may also have an increased risk of cancer. Your
blood will need to be tested on a weekly or monthly basis while using this medication. Do not
miss any scheduled appointments.
Do not open the mycophenolate mofetil capsule or crush or chew a tablet. Do not use
a pill that has been accidentally broken. The medicine from a crushed or broken pill can be
dangerous if it gets in your eyes, mouth, or nose, or on your skin.
What is mycophenolate mofetil?
Mycophenolate mofetil lowers your body's immune system. The immune system helps
your body fight infections. The immune system can also fight or "reject" a transplanted organ
such as a liver or kidney. This is because the immune system treats the new organ as an invader.
Mycophenolate mofetil is used to prevent your body from rejecting a kidney, liver, or
heart transplant. This medication is usually given with cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral) and a
steroid medication.
Mycophenolate mofetil may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication
guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using mycophenolate mofetil?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to mycophenolate mofetil,
mycophenolic acid (Myfortic), or to an ingredient called Polysorbate 80.
Before using mycophenolate mofetil, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if
you have:
-
a stomach ulcer or other disorders of your stomach or intestines;
-
kidney disease;
-
a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection; or
-
a rare hereditary deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine
phosphoribosyl-transferase (HGPRT) such as Lesch-Nyhan and Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment
or special tests to safely use this medication.
FDA pregnancy category D. This medication can cause harm to an unborn baby,
especially if used during the first trimester of pregnancy. Do not use mycophenolate
mofetil without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant
during treatment.
If you are a woman of child-bearing potential, you will be required to receive
contraceptive counseling and to start using two forms of birth control 4 weeks before the start of
your treatment with mycophenolate mofetil. You will also need to have a negative pregnancy
test within 1 week before your treatment begins.
Unless you have been in menopause for at least 12 months in a row, you are considered to
be of child-bearing potential. Adolescent girls who have entered puberty are also considered to
be of child-bearing potential, even if not yet sexually active.
Use two non-hormone forms of birth control (such as a condom,
diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy before and during your
treatment with mycophenolate mofetil, and for at least 6 weeks after your treatment ends. Tell
your doctor right away if you become pregnant.
Mycophenolate mofetil can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about the most effective non-hormonal forms of birth control and
which two are best for you.
Although mycophenolate mofetil can cause harm to an unborn baby, not treating the
mother with this medication after a transplant could pose a greater risk to the mother's health.
Mycophenolate mofetil is sometimes given to pregnant women who are unable to take other
needed transplant medications. Your doctor will decide whether you should receive this
medication.
Your name may need to be listed on a national transplant pregnancy registry if you use
mycophenolate mofetil during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to track the outcome of
the pregnancy and delivery to evaluate whether mycophenolate mofetil had any effect on the
baby.
It is not known whether mycophenolate mofetil passes into breast milk or if it could
harm a nursing baby. Do not use mycophenolate mofetil without telling your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby.
The oral liquid form of this medication may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor
before using this form of mycophenolate mofetil if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).
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