By Carrie Murphy, Feb 6, 2025
Typically, a woman would be prescribed cyclobenzaprine during pregnancy because of a muscle spasm, explains Kecia Gaither, MD, the Director of Perinatal Services/Maternal Fetal Medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx in New York City. Cyclobenzaprine is considered a category B medication by the FDA, which means that animal studies have not shown any adverse effects. It is generally considered safe to take cyclobenzaprine during pregnancy. There is very little human research on taking this drug during pregnancy. However, the consensus in the medical community is that it’s okay to take during the second and third trimesters (weeks 14 to 40 of pregnancy). Caution is important for all medications taken in the first trimester (0 to 13 weeks of pregnancy) when a baby’s organ systems are forming because there are no safety data available for the use of cyclobenzaprine in humans during the first trimester. However, there is also concern about taking the medication during the last three months of pregnancy because “cyclobenzaprine produces drowsiness as a side effect, so the use of it in the third trimester may cause drowsiness in the newborn,” said Dr. Gaither.
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