What safety measures should you take when your child is using leuprolide?
Keep all appointments at the clinic or doctor's office. This is important'so that the doctor can check your child's response to leuprolide, such as any unwanted effects, and to make sure it is working properly. The doctor may need to adjust your child's dose from time to time during treatment with leuprolide.
Leuprolide may cause weakening of bones. Your doctor may suggest giving your child extra calcium and vitamin D during treatment with leuprolide.
Check with your child's doctor or pharmacist before giving your child any other medicines?(prescription, non-prescription, herbal, or natural products).
For girls:
While on leuprolide, your child is not likely to have a menstrual cycle (period). Call the doctor if she continues to have periods after starting leuprolide. Periods may resume after she stops leuprolide treatment, depending on her condition and what other treatments have been given.
Although leuprolide should stop menstrual periods, it should not be used as a form of birth control. If your child is sexually active, speak to the doctor about birth control methods. Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are not recommended while using leuprolide.
There is a chance that leuprolide may cause birth defects if it is taken at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. Leuprolide could also cause a miscarriage if taken during pregnancy. Tell the doctor right away if you think your child may be pregnant.
For precocious puberty:
Leuprolide will stop having an effect on a child treated for precocious puberty soon after the child stops using it. Puberty will continue normally. It is not known if using leuprolide around the time of puberty will affect their future ability to have children. Your child's chances of having children later are thought to be normal. You may wish to talk about the risks and benefits of leuprolide with your child's doctor.