PENTOBARBITAL

Fetal Risk Summary

No reports linking the use of pentobarbital with congenital defects have been located. The Collaborative Perinatal Project monitored 50,282 mother-child pairs, 250 of which had 1st trimester exposure to pentobarbital (1). No evidence was found to suggest a relationship to large categories of major or minor malformations or to individual defects. Hemorrhagic disease and barbiturate withdrawal in the newborn are theoretical possibilities (see also Phenobarbital).

Breast Feeding Summary

Pentobarbital is excreted into breast milk (2). Breast milk levels of 0.17 µg/mL have been detected 19 hours after a dose of 100 mg daily for 32 days. The effect on the nursing infant is not known.

References

1. Heinonen OP, Slone D, Shapiro S. Birth Defects and Drugs in Pregnancy. Littleton, MA: Publishing Sciences Group, 1977:336–7.
2. Wilson JT, Brown RD, Cherek DR, Dailey JW, Hilman B, Jobe PC, Manno BR, Manno JE, Redetzki HM, Stewart JJ. Drug excretion in human breast milk: principles, pharmacokinetics and projected consequences. Clin Pharmacokinet 1980;5:1–66.