Intravitreal Bevacizumab for a Subfoveal Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization in the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Abstract

To report the clinical course of a highly myopic woman treated by a single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab during the first trimester of pregnancy. Observational case report. A 35-year-old woman affected by pathologic myopia complained of blurred vision in her left eye in the fourth week of pregnancy. A subfoveal myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) was diagnosed on the basis of slit-lamp fundus biomicroscopy and fluorescein angiography. After discussing the treatment-related risks, she was administered an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in her seventh gestational week. During pregnancy, fetal ultrasound and ophthalmic examination were performed monthly. After delivery, the mother and infant were followed quarterly for 12 months. The patient had an uneventful prenatal course and delivered a healthy full-term infant. Significant visual improvement with no documented adverse events related to treatment was obtained. In our experience, a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection administered during the first trimester of pregnancy did not provoke any complications, and was effective in myopic CNV treatment. Further studies are warranted to provide more detailed information about this treatment and the related risks in pregnant women.