Pregnancy
There are no well-controlled studies in pregnant women with erythromycin / benzoyl peroxide topical gel. It also is not known whether erythromycin / benzoyl peroxide topical gel can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproductive capacity.
Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with erythromycin / benzoyl peroxide topical gel nor with benzoyl peroxide on its own. There was no evidence of teratogenicity or any other adverse effect on reproduction in female rats fed erythromycin base (up to 0.25% diet) prior to and during mating, gestation, and through weaning of two successive litters.
Thus, due to the lack of well-controlled clinical studies in pregnant women, it is essential to consult a doctor to weigh the benefits and risks of the use of topical erythromycin / benzoyl peroxide while pregnant.
Breastfeeding
It is not known if erythromycin or benzoyl peroxide passes into breast milk after topical application of erythromycin / benzoyl peroxide gel. However, erythromycin is excreted in human milk after oral and parenteral erythromycin administration.
Therefore, your healthcare provider will advise you if you should use topical erythromycin / benzoyl peroxide while breastfeeding.
References
- MedlinePlus. (2024). Erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide [online]. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a603024.html. [Accessed 24 Oct. 2024].
- Uptodate.com. (2024). Erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide [online] Available at: https://www-uptodate-com.eresources.mssm.edu/contents/erythromycin-and-benzoyl-peroxide-drug-information?search=erythromycin%20benzoyl%20peroxide&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~11&usage_type=default&display_rank=1. [Accessed 24 Oct. 2024].
- DailyMed. (2024) Erythromycin and benzoyl peroxide gel [online]. Available at: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=d449d7e2-5c25-406d-87ab-30809d292476 [Accessed 24 Oct. 2024]