The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has classified most antimalarials as unrated, which means they have not been assigned a risk level related to pregnancy. Experts disagree about the potential harm to a fetus or breastfeeding newborn (antimalarial agents are secreted in breast milk) posed by a mother’s use of antimalarial agents. However, many studies have suggested that chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine should not be taken by pregnant women. As a result, women generally are urged not to take antimalarial agents during pregnancy or nursing.

Women who discover they are pregnant while taking antimalarial agents should consult with their physician about whether or not they should immediately discontinue therapy or finish the treatment regimen.