Amoxapine

The Basics

What is Amoxapine?

Used to treat the symptoms of depression.

Brand names for Amoxapine

Amoxapine

How Amoxapine is classified

Antidepressive Agents, Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors

Amoxapine During Pregnancy

Amoxapine pregnancy category

Category CNote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Amoxapine while pregnant

Studies performed in mice, rats, and rabbits have demonstrated no evidence of teratogenic effect due to amoxapine (amoxapine (amoxapine tablets) tablets) . Embryotoxicity was seen in rats and rabbits given oral doses approximating the human dose. Fetotoxic effects (intrauterine death, stillbirth, decreased birth weight) were seen in animals studied at oral doses 3-10 times the human dose. Decreased postnatal survival (between days 0-4) was demonstrated in the offspring of rats at 5-10 times the human dose. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Amoxapine (amoxapine (amoxapine tablets) tablets) should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

Taking Amoxapine While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Amoxapine?

Because there is no published experience with amoxapine during breastfeeding, other agents may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.

Maternal / infant drug levels

Because there is no published experience with amoxapine during breastfeeding, other agents may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.

Possible effects of Amoxapine on milk supply

Two cases of galactorrhea have been reported in nonbreastfeeding women who were taking amoxapine.[1][2] The clinical relevance of these findings in nursing mothers is not known. The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.

An observational study looked at outcomes of 2859 women who took an antidepressant during the 2 years prior to pregnancy. Compared to women who did not take an antidepressant during pregnancy, mothers who took an antidepressant during all 3 trimesters of pregnancy were 37% less likely to be breastfeeding upon hospital discharge. Mothers who took an antidepressant only during the third trimester were 75% less likely to be breastfeeding at discharge. Those who took an antidepressant only during the first and second trimesters did not have a reduced likelihood of breastfeeding at discharge.[3] The antidepressants used by the mothers were not specified.

A retrospective cohort study of hospital electronic medical records from 2001 to 2008 compared women who had been dispensed an antidepressant during late gestation (n = 575) to those who had a psychiatric illness but did not receive an antidepressant (n = 1552) and mothers who did not have a psychiatric diagnosis (n = 30,535). Women who received an antidepressant were 37% less likely to be breastfeeding at discharge than women without a psychiatric diagnosis, but no less likely to be breastfeeding than untreated mothers with a psychiatric diagnosis.[4] None of the mothers were taking amoxapine.

Possible alternatives to Amoxapine

Nortriptyline, Paroxetine, Sertraline.