Use of rituximab in NHL malt type pregnant in I° trimester for two times

Abstract

Administration of rituximab, one of the basic drugs for the therapy of B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases, during pregnancy has been suspected to cause developmental fetal events, particularly if given during the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, use in pregnancy is not permitted. However, several cases of pregnant women being treated with rituximab are reported herein; an exception is often made in cases with grave illness. We describe an exceptional case of a woman with non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type where rituximab was given as a single agent without interruption during two consecutive pregnancies. This case can certainly supply important indications on the safety of rituximab.