Prussian blue

Pregnancy Category C

It is not known whether prussian blue can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or if it can affect reproduction capacity. Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with prussian blue insoluble. However, since prussian blue is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, effects on the fetus are not expected.

Radioactive cesium (¹³⁷Cs) crosses the human placenta. One patient, contaminated with 0.005 mCi ¹³⁷Cs during her 4^th month of pregnancy, was not treated with prussian blue. At birth, the concentration of ¹³⁷Cs was the same in the mother and the infant.

Thallium crosses the human placenta. Reported fetal effects include failure to thrive and death. The toxicity from untreated radioactive cesium or thallium exposure is greater than the potential reproductive toxicity of prussian blue.

Studies to determine if prussian blue is excreted in human milk have not been conducted. Since prussian blue is not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, its excretion in milk is unlikely. However, cesium and thallium are transmitted from mother to infant in breast milk. Women internally contaminated with cesium or thallium should not breastfeed.

Animal studies have not been performed to evaluate the carcinogenic or mutagenic potential of prussian blue insoluble. No study on impairment of male or female fertility and reproductive performance has been conducted in animals.

Constipation was reported in 10 (24%) of 42 patients treated with prussian blue. Severity of constipation was mild in 7 patients and moderate in 3 patients.