Pharmacokinetics of zidovudine (azidothymidine). III. Effect of pregnancy.

Administration of zidovudine (ZDV or azidothymidine) to pregnant women with HIV infection may be of benefit to both the mother and her unborn child. Since pregnancy can have a substantial effect on the pharmacokinetics of a drug, the effect of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics of ZDV (10 mg/kg, i.v. bolus) was studied in the macaque (Macaca nemestrina). The plasma clearance, steady-state volume of distribution, and terminal half-life of ZDV were found not to be significantly affected by pregnancy. Based on these findings, we predict that the pharmacokinetics of ZDV in women will not be affected by pregnancy. If this prediction is found to be correct, the dose of ZDV need not be adjusted when the drug is administered to pregnant women.