If you or your partner has chronic hepatitis C, then you need to understand the importance of planning for a family.
The fact is that any hepatitis C therapy including those that include ribavirin can cause serious birth defects and other harm to a fetus. That is why, if you are pregnant, or planning to get pregnant during treatment (or during the six months following the end of treatment), you should not start combination therapy with any form of ribavarin, including REBETOL® (Ribavirin,USP) Capsules. If you are a woman, you will be given a pregnancy test before starting therapy, and your result must be negative. You will not be able to start therapy if you are pregnant. For men who are planning therapy, their partners must have a negative pregnancy test before he can start the medicine. Men whose female partners are pregnant should not start therapy.
The cause of harm to the fetus is among the most serious possible side effect of REBETOL therapy. Therefore, talk to your doctor about family planning for you and your partner. Also, be aware that:
- Female patients must use two effective forms of birth control during treatment and for six months after the treatment is completed.
- Male patients should always use a condom during therapy and for six months after treatment is complete.
- Having hepatitis C will not make you infertile. At the same time, you must use birth control even if you believe that you are not fertile or that your fertility is low for other reasons.
- If you or your partner have been on this treatment within the last six months and pregnancy occurs, call your doctor immediately.
- If you are a female patient, you will be tested for pregnancy every month during treatment and for six months after completion.
- If you are a male patient, your partner will be tested for pregnancy every month during your treatment and for six months thereafter.
If you or your partner becomes pregnant while on treatment or for 6 months after treatment, tell your doctor right away. Also, you or your doctor should call the Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry at 1-800-593-2214.
For more information on this important subject, talk to your doctor now, and consider joining The Be In Charge® Program to talk to nurse counselors who are experts on this subject.
