Can I take betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose.
In short
Pregnancy: You can use betamethasone drops or ointment while pregnant.
Breastfeeding: You can use betamethasone drops and ointment while breastfeeding.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- Very little betamethasone is absorbed into your bloodstream, and almost none reaches your baby.
- Even if a little does reach your baby, it will not harm them.
Breastfeeding
- Only tiny amounts of betamethasone are likely to be present in breast milk, and it's very unlikely to cause side effects in your baby.
- Some betamethasone drops and ointments also include other ingredients, such as antibacterials.
- These are still OK to use while breastfeeding.
- If your baby is not feeding as well as they usually do, or you're worried about your baby in any other way, contact your health visitor, midwife or doctor promptly.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist
This page is educational, not advice for your own situation. Talk to your doctor, midwife or pharmacist before you start, stop or change any medicine in pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
The details: what each source says
Betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose in pregnancy
The NHS says
You can use betamethasone drops or ointment while pregnant.
Very little betamethasone is absorbed into your bloodstream, and almost none reaches your baby. Even if a little does reach your baby, it will not harm them.
In our words, from the NHS page Betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose (nhs.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). The NHS does not endorse this site.
The US drug label says
8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no available data on betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) use in pregnant women to identify a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Observational studies suggest an increased risk of low birthweight infants with the use of greater than 300 grams of potent or very potent topical corticosteroid during a pregnancy. Advise pregnant women that betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) may increase the risk of having a low birthweight infant and to use betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) on the smallest area of skin and for the shortest duration possible. In animal reproduction studies, increased malformations, including umbilical hernias, cephalocele, and cleft palate, were observed after intramuscular administration of betamethasone dipropionate to pregnant rabbits. The available data do not allow the calculation of relevant comparisons between the systemic exposure of betamethasone dipropionate in animal studies to the systemic exposure that would be expected in humans after topical use of betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) (see Data) .
Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Betamethasone dipropionate (topical), A-S Medication Solutions. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
This quote is from the topical formulation label.
Betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose while breastfeeding
The NHS says
You can use betamethasone drops and ointment while breastfeeding.
Only tiny amounts of betamethasone are likely to be present in breast milk, and it's very unlikely to cause side effects in your baby.
Some betamethasone drops and ointments also include other ingredients, such as antibacterials. These are still OK to use while breastfeeding.
If your baby is not feeding as well as they usually do, or you're worried about your baby in any other way, contact your health visitor, midwife or doctor promptly.
In our words, from the NHS page Betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose (nhs.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). The NHS does not endorse this site.
LactMed says
Betamethasone has not been well studied during breastfeeding. Systemic betamethasone is best avoided in favor of one of the shorter-acting and better studied alternatives because of its potency and low protein binding, which favors its passage into milk. Use of betamethasone 3 to 9 days prior to delivery of a preterm infant might decrease postpartum milk production in some women. Local injections, such as for tendinitis, would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants,[1] but might occasionally cause temporary loss of milk supply. See also Betamethasone, Topical.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Betamethasone” (LM31), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Betamethasone while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
8.2 Lactation Risk Summary There are no data regarding the presence of betamethasone dipropionate in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production after topical application of betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) to women who are breastfeeding. It is possible that topical administration of betamethasone dipropionate could result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in human milk. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from betamethasone dipropionate ointment (augmented) or from the underlying maternal condition.
Prescribing label, section “8.2 Lactation” (opening excerpt): Betamethasone dipropionate (topical), A-S Medication Solutions. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
This quote is from the topical formulation label.
Other names
UK brand names (per the NHS): Betnesol, Vistamethasone.
US name: betamethasone.
The NHS has separate pages for other forms: betamethasone for skin.
Sources
- NHS, Betamethasone for eyes, ears and nose (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 24 January 2024. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: Betamethasone dipropionate (topical), A-S Medication Solutions, human prescription drug, label effective 11 May 2026, set ID b5291e39-40a0-4362-9281-97f5fb4025d9. DailyMed (National Library of Medicine). Public domain; quoted verbatim.
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Betamethasone” (LM31), bulk release of 22 September 2026. LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. Public domain; quoted verbatim. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Sources checked 26 September 2026. How we source and check every page.
Educational summary of named sources, not medical advice.