Can I take linagliptin while pregnant or breastfeeding?

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary The limited data with TRADJENTA use in pregnant women are not sufficient to inform of drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage.

Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Tradjenta (oral), Cardinal Health 107, LLC. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.

No information is available on the clinical use of linagliptin during breastfeeding. Linagliptin's plasma protein binding ranges from 80% to over 99%, so it is unlikely to pass into breastmilk in clinically important amounts and might be a better choice among drugs in this class for nursing mothers. However, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. Monitor breastfed infants for signs of hypoglycemia such as jitteriness, excessive sleepiness, poor feeding, seizures cyanosis, apnea, or hypothermia. If there is concern, monitoring of the breastfed infant's blood glucose is advisable during maternal therapy with linagliptin.[1]

“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Linagliptin” (LM878), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Linagliptin while breastfeeding.

8.2 Lactation Risk Summary There is no information regarding the presence of linagliptin in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. However, linagliptin is present in rat milk. Therefore, the developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for TRADJENTA and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from TRADJENTA or from the underlying maternal condition.

Prescribing label, section “8.2 Lactation”: Tradjenta (oral), Cardinal Health 107, LLC. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.