Can I take bumetanide while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about bumetanide.
In short
Pregnancy: Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
Breastfeeding: Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding. Bumetanide is not usually used while you're breastfeeding.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- Bumetanide is not usually used in pregnancy, because too little is known about its safety.
- A doctor may still recommend it if the benefits outweigh the risks.
- If you need bumetanide while pregnant, your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose that still works.
Breastfeeding
- Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding.
- Bumetanide is not usually used while you're breastfeeding.
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
Bumetanide in pregnancy
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
Bumetanide is not usually used in pregnancy, because too little is known about its safety. A doctor may still recommend it if the benefits outweigh the risks.
If you need bumetanide while pregnant, your doctor will prescribe the lowest dose that still works.
In our words, from the NHS page Bumetanide (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
Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Bumetanide is neither teratogenic nor embryocidal in mice when given in doses up to 3400 times the maximum human therapeutic dose. Bumetanide has been shown to be nonteratogenic, but it has a slight embryocidal effect in rats when given in doses of 3400 times the maximum human therapeutic dose and in rabbits at doses of 3.4 times the maximum human therapeutic dose. In one study, moderate growth retardation and increased incidence of delayed ossification of sternebrae were observed in rats at oral doses of 100 mg/kg/day, 3400 times the maximum human therapeutic dose. These effects were associated with maternal weight reductions noted during dosing. No such adverse effects were observed at 30 mg/kg/day (1000 times the maximum human therapeutic dose). No fetotoxicity was observed at 1000 to 2000 times the human therapeutic dose. In rabbits, a dose-related decrease in litter size and an increase in resorption rate were noted at oral doses of 0.1 mg/kg/day and 0.3 mg/kg/day (3.4 and 10 times the maximum human therapeutic dose).
Prescribing label, section “Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Bumetanide (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
More on bumetanide in pregnancy: Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) leaflet (external site).
Bumetanide while breastfeeding
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding. Bumetanide is not usually used while you're breastfeeding.
In our words, from the NHS page Bumetanide (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
It is unknown if bumetanide is excreted into breastmilk. It should be avoided while breastfeeding a newborn because it may decrease milk flow or completely suppress lactation. Low doses in mothers whose lactation is well established are unlikely to suppress lactation.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Bumetanide” (LM36), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Bumetanide while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
Nursing Mothers It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. As a general rule, nursing should not be undertaken while the patient is on bumetanide since it may be excreted in human milk.
Prescribing label, section “Nursing Mothers”: Bumetanide (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Sources
- NHS, Bumetanide (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 3 June 2026. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: Bumetanide (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC., human prescription drug, label effective 9 September 2026, set ID 0fb78afc-d8bc-4ae8-8c0a-6d9c6f7a22c5. 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 “Bumetanide” (LM36), 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.
- Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy), UK Teratology Information Service: Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) leaflet. Linked, not reproduced.
Sources checked 26 September 2026. How we source and check every page.
Educational summary of named sources, not medical advice.