How do you approach the timing of Rituximab during pregnancy in a patient with life or organ threatening autoimmune disease?
Answer from: at Academic Institution
The short answer is that I give it whenever it is needed for organ or life-threatening disease. Giving it earlier in pregnancy may have less impact on the fetus/neonate. In general, we all try to avoid routine treatment with rituximab during pregnancy due to the expected placental transfer after the...
The ACR guidelines conditionally recommend continuing Rituximab in life and/or organ threatening disease during pregnancy. If possible, I try to dose Rituximab as early into the pregnancy as possible. I typically use the dosing regimen 1g every 6 months. If you have a patient where you are discussin...
I frequently administer Rituximab to pregnant patients with SLE, Sjogrens, Myositis, RA, and AAV in the first trimester. The passage of large monoclonal antibodies is very low at this point in pregnancy. Studies in rheumatology, oncology, and neurology patients have not shown substantial risks for m...