Pregnancy Exposure Registry: There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to efavirenz, lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate during pregnancy. Healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry (APR) at 1-800-258-4263.  
  
Risk Summary: There are retrospective case reports of neural tube defects in infants whose mothers were exposed to EFV-containing regimens in the first trimester of pregnancy.  
  
Although a causal relationship has not been established between exposure to EFV in the first trimester and neural tube defects, similar malformations have been observed in studies conducted in monkeys at doses similar to the human dose. In addition, fetal and embryonic toxicities occurred in rats, at a dose ten times less than the human exposure at recommended clinical dose. Because of the potential risk of neural tube defects, EFV should not be used in the first trimester of pregnancy. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus.

Prospective pregnancy data from the APR are not sufficient to adequately assess this risk of birth defects or miscarriage. EFV and 3TC have been evaluated in a limited number of women as reported to the APR. Available data from the APR show no difference in the risk of major birth defects for EFV and 3TC compared to the background rate for major birth defects of 2.7% in the U.S. reference population of the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP). Available data from the APR also show no increase in the overall risk of major birth defects with first trimester exposure for TDF (2.1%) compared with the background rate for major birth defects of 2.7% in a U.S. reference population of the MACDP (see Data).  
  
3TC produced embryonic toxicity in rabbits at a dose that produced similar human exposures as the recommended clinical dose. The relevance of animal findings to human pregnancy registry data is not known.  
  
The rate of miscarriage is not reported in the APR. The estimated background rate of miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies in the U.S. general population is 15% to 20%. The background risk for major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. The APR uses the MACDP as the U.S. reference population for birth defects in the general population. The MACDP evaluates women and infants from a limited geographic area and does not include outcomes for births that occurred at less than 20 weeks’ gestation.  
  
Human Data: Efavirenz: There are retrospective postmarketing reports of findings consistent with neural tube defects, including meningomyelocele, all in infants of mothers exposed to EFV- containing regimens in the first trimester [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)].  
  
Based on prospective reports from the APR of approximately 1,000 live births following exposure to EFV-containing regimens (including over 800 live births exposed in the first trimester), there was no difference between EFV and overall birth defects compared with the background birth defect rate of 2.7% in the U.S. reference population of the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program. As of the interim APR report issued December 2014, the prevalence of birth defects following first-trimester exposure was 2.3% (95% CI: 1.4%to 3.6%). One of these prospectively reported defects with first-trimester exposure was a neural tube defect. A single case of anophthalmia with first-trimester exposure to EFV has also been prospectively reported. This case also included severe oblique facial clefts and amniotic banding, which have a known association with anophthalmia.   


Lamivudine: Based on prospective reports from the APR of over 11,000 exposures to 3TC during pregnancy resulting in live births (including over 4,300 exposed in the first trimester), there was no difference between 3TC and overall risk of birth defects for 3TC compared with the background birth defect rate of 2.7% in the U.S. reference population of the MACDP. The prevalence of defects in live births was 3.1% (95% CI: 2.6% to 3.6%) following first trimester exposure to 3TC-containing regimens and 2.8% (95% CI: 2.5% to 3.3%) following second/third trimester exposure to 3TC-containing regimens.  
  
3TC pharmacokinetics were studied in pregnant women during 2 clinical trials conducted in South Africa. The trials assessed pharmacokinetics in 16 women at 36 weeks' gestation using 150 mg 3TC twice daily with zidovudine, 10 women at 38 weeks' gestation using 150 mg 3TC twice daily with zidovudine, and 10 women at 38 weeks' gestation using 3TC 300 mg twice daily without other antiretrovirals. These trials were not designed or powered to provide efficacy information.

3TC concentrations were generally similar in maternal, neonatal, and umbilical cord serum samples. In a subset of subjects, amniotic fluid specimens were collected following natural rupture of membranes and confirmed that 3TC crosses the placenta in humans. Based on limited data at delivery, median (range) amniotic fluid concentrations of 3TC were 3.9 (1.2 to 12.8)-fold greater compared with paired maternal serum concentration (n = 8).

  


Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate: Based on prospective reports from the APR exposures to TDF-containing regimens during pregnancy resulting in live births (including 3,342 exposed in the first trimester and 1,475 exposed in the second/third trimester), there was no increase in overall major birth defects with TDF compared with the background birth defect rate of 2.7% in a U.S. reference population of the MACDP. The prevalence of major birth defects in live births was 2.3% (95% CI: 1.8% to 2.8%) with first trimester exposure to TDF-containing regimens, and 2.1% (95% CI: 1.4% to 3.0%) with the second/third trimester exposure to TDF-containing regimens. 

  


Prospective reports from the APR of overall major birth defects in pregnancies exposed to TDF are compared with a U.S. background major birth defect rate. Methodological limitations of the APR include the use of MACDP as the external comparator group. Limitations of using an external comparator include differences in methodology and populations, as well as confounding due to the underlying disease. 

  


In published data from three controlled clinical trials, a total of 327 pregnant women with chronic HBV infection were administered tenofovir disoproxil fumarate from 28 to 32 weeks gestation through 1 to 2 months postpartum and followed for up to 12 months after delivery. There were no new safety findings in pregnant women compared with the known safety profile of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate in HBV-infected adults. An increased risk of adverse pregnancy-related outcomes was not observed; 2 stillbirths were identified, and there was 1 major birth defect (talipes) and 1 occurrence of multiple congenital abnormalities (not further specified) in tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-exposed infants. Infants were followed for up to 12 months after delivery; there were no clinically relevant drug-related safety findings in infants exposed to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate during late gestation.

  
Animal Data: Efavirenz: Effects of EFV on embryo-fetal development have been studied in three nonclinical species (cynomolgus monkeys, rats, and rabbits). In monkeys, EFV 60 mg/kg/day was administered to pregnant females throughout pregnancy (gestation days 20 through 150). The maternal systemic drug exposures (AUC) were 1.3 times the exposure in humans at the recommended clinical dose (600 mg/day), with fetal umbilical venous drug concentrations approximately 0.7 times the maternal values. Three of 20 fetuses/infants had one or more malformations; there were no malformed fetuses or infants from placebo-treated mothers. The malformations that occurred in these three monkey fetuses included anencephaly and unilateral anophthalmia in one fetus, microophthalmia in a second, and cleft palate in the third. There was no NOAEL (no observable adverse effect level) established for this study because only one dosage was evaluated. In rats, EFV was administered either during organogenesis (gestation days 7 to 18) or from gestation day 7 through lactation day 21 at 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg/day. Administration of 200 mg/kg/day in rats was associated with increase in the incidence of early resorptions; and doses 100 mg/kg/day and greater were associated with early neonatal mortality. The AUC at the NOAEL (50 mg/kg/day) in this rat study was 0.1 times that in humans at the recommended clinical dose. Drug concentrations in the milk on lactation day 10 were approximately 8 times higher than those in maternal plasma. In pregnant rabbits, EFV was neither embryo lethal nor teratogenic when administered at doses of 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg/day over the period of organogenesis (gestation days 6 through 18). The AUC at the NOAEL (75 mg/kg/day) in rabbits was 0.4 times that in humans at the recommended clinical dose.

Lamivudine: 3TC was administered orally to pregnant rats (at 90, 600, and 4,000 mg per kg per day) and rabbits (at 90, 300, and 1,000 mg per kg per day and at 15, 40, and 90 mg per kg per day) during organogenesis (on gestation Days 7 through 16 [rat] and 8 through 20 [rabbit]). No evidence of fetal malformations due to 3TC was observed in rats and rabbits at doses producing plasma concentrations (Cmax) approximately 35 times higher than human exposure at the recommended daily dose. Evidence of early embryolethality was seen in the rabbit at system exposures (AUC) similar to those observed in humans, but there was no indication of this effect in the rat at plasma concentrations (Cmax) 35 times higher than human exposure at the recommended daily dose. Studies in pregnant rats showed that 3TC is transferred to the fetus through the placenta. In the fertility/pre- and postnatal development study in rats, 3TC was administered orally at doses of 180, 900, and 4,000 mg per kg per day (from prior to mating through postnatal Day 20). In the study, development of the offspring, including fertility and reproductive performance, was not affected by maternal administration of 3TC. 

  


Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate: TDF was administered orally to pregnant rats (at 0, 50, 150, or 450 mg/kg/day) and rabbits (at 0, 30, 100, or 300 mg/kg/day) through organogenesis (on gestation days 7 through 17, and 6 through 18, respectively). No significant toxicological effects were observed in embryo-fetal toxicity studies performed with TDF in rats at doses up to 14 times the human dose based on body surface area comparisons and in rabbits at doses up to 19 times the human dose based on body surface area comparisons. In a pre/postnatal development study in rats, TDF was administered orally through lactation at doses up to 600 mg/kg/day; no adverse effects were observed in the offspring at tenofovir exposures of approximately 2.7 times higher than human exposures at the recommended daily dose of TDF.