Can I take bimatoprost while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about bimatoprost.
In short
Pregnancy: It's essential to treat glaucoma or high pressure in the eye, so it's important to carry on using bimatoprost while you're pregnant. But always check with a pharmacist or doctor first.
Breastfeeding: You can use bimatoprost while breastfeeding.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- It's essential to treat glaucoma or high pressure in the eye, so it's important to carry on using bimatoprost while you're pregnant.
- But always check with a pharmacist or doctor first.
- Because bimatoprost goes into the eye, very little reaches your blood or your baby.
- The small amount that might reach your baby is unlikely to harm them.
Breastfeeding
- It's essential to treat glaucoma or high pressure in the eye, so it's important to keep up your bimatoprost treatment during breastfeeding.
- The eye drops are not thought to get into breast milk or to cause side effects in breastfed babies.
- Some medicines containing bimatoprost also contain other ingredients, so if you're breastfeeding, ask a pharmacist or doctor before using them.
- As soon as you can, get in touch with your midwife, health visitor, pharmacist or doctor if your baby is feeding less well than normal, or if anything else about your baby worries you.
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
Bimatoprost in pregnancy
The NHS says
It's essential to treat glaucoma or high pressure in the eye, so it's important to carry on using bimatoprost while you're pregnant. But always check with a pharmacist or doctor first.
Because bimatoprost goes into the eye, very little reaches your blood or your baby. The small amount that might reach your baby is unlikely to harm them.
In our words, from the NHS page Bimatoprost (Lumigan) (nhs.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). The NHS does not endorse this site.
What these words mean
- embryofetal
- about the embryo and fetus (a baby's early stages of growing in the womb)
Definitions adapted from the NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms (National Cancer Institute).
The US drug label says
8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03% administration in pregnant women. There is no increase in the risk of major birth defects or miscarriages based on bimatoprost postmarketing experience. In embryofetal developmental studies, administration of bimatoprost in pregnant mice and rats during organogensis, resulted in abortion and early delivery at oral doses at least 33 times (mice) or 94 times (rats) the human exposure at the recommended clinical dose (based on blood area under the curve [AUC] levels). These adverse effects were not observed at 2.6 times (mice) and 47 times (rats) the human exposure at the recommended clinical dose. In pre/postnatal development studies, administration of bimatoprost to pregnant rats from organogenesis to the end of lactation resulted in reduced gestation length and fetal body weight, and increased fetal and pup mortality at oral doses at least 41 times the human systemic exposure at the recommended clinical dose (based on blood AUC levels).
Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Bimatoprost (ophthalmic), Apotex Corp. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
This quote is from the ophthalmic formulation label.
Bimatoprost while breastfeeding
The NHS says
You can use bimatoprost while breastfeeding.
It's essential to treat glaucoma or high pressure in the eye, so it's important to keep up your bimatoprost treatment during breastfeeding.
The eye drops are not thought to get into breast milk or to cause side effects in breastfed babies.
Some medicines containing bimatoprost also contain other ingredients, so if you're breastfeeding, ask a pharmacist or doctor before using them.
As soon as you can, get in touch with your midwife, health visitor, pharmacist or doctor if your baby is feeding less well than normal, or if anything else about your baby worries you.
In our words, from the NHS page Bimatoprost (Lumigan) (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
No information is available on the use of bimatoprost during breastfeeding. Because of its short half-life it is not likely to reach the bloodstream of the infant or cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants.[1,2] To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 1 minute or more, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue. With the implant, plasma levels are usually undetectable, so the amount in milk is likely to be negligible.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Bimatoprost” (LM771), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Bimatoprost while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
8.2 Lactation Risk Summary It is not known whether topical ocular treatment with bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03% could result in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in human milk. In animal studies, bimatoprost has been shown to be present in breast milk of lactating rats at an intravenous dose (i.e., 1 mg/kg) 324 times the RHOD (on a m2g/m basis), however no animal data is available at clinically relevant doses. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03% and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03%.
Prescribing label, section “8.2 Lactation”: Bimatoprost (ophthalmic), Apotex Corp. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
This quote is from the ophthalmic formulation label.
Other names
UK brand names (per the NHS): Lumigan.
Sources
- NHS, Bimatoprost (Lumigan) (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 2 September 2024. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: Bimatoprost (ophthalmic), Apotex Corp., human prescription drug, label effective 9 September 2026, set ID f5c1c8c6-2a7f-482b-6ecf-9cabd3a6a5c1. 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 “Bimatoprost” (LM771), 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.