Can I take calcipotriol while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about calcipotriol.
In short
Pregnancy: Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or trying for a baby. Calcipotriol is not usually used in pregnancy, as it's not known whether it may cause problems with your baby's development.
Breastfeeding: Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or trying for a baby.
- Calcipotriol is not usually used in pregnancy, as it's not known whether it may cause problems with your baby's development.
Breastfeeding
- It's sometimes possible to use calcipotriol during breastfeeding, but you must get advice before doing so.
- If your doctor agrees that you can use calcipotriol while breastfeeding, do not put it on your breasts.
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
Calcipotriol in pregnancy
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or trying for a baby. Calcipotriol is not usually used in pregnancy, as it's not known whether it may cause problems with your baby's development.
In our words, from the NHS page Calcipotriol (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: Pregnancy Category C Studies of teratogenicity were done by the oral route where bioavailability is expected to be approximately 40-60% of the administered dose. In rabbits, increased maternal and fetal toxicity were noted at a dosage of 12 μg/kg/day (132 μg/m2/day); a dosage of 36 μg/kg/day (396 μg/m2/day) resulted in a significant increase in the incidence of incomplete ossification of the pubic bones and forelimb phalanges of fetuses. In a rat study, a dosage of 54 μg/kg/day (318 μg/m2/day) resulted in a significantly increased incidence of skeletal abnormalities (enlarged fontanelles and extra ribs). The enlarged fontanelles are most likely due to calcipotriene's effect upon calcium metabolism. The estimated maternal and fetal no-effect exposure levels in the rat (43.2 μg/m2/day) and rabbit (17.6 μg/m2/day) studies are approximately equal to the expected human systemic exposure level (18.5 μg/m2/day) from dermal application. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Therefore, calcipotriene ointment should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Prescribing label, section “Pregnancy”: Calcipotriene (topical), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
This quote is from the topical formulation label.
Calcipotriol while breastfeeding
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding. It's sometimes possible to use calcipotriol during breastfeeding, but you must get advice before doing so.
If your doctor agrees that you can use calcipotriol while breastfeeding, do not put it on your breasts.
In our words, from the NHS page Calcipotriol (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 calcipotriene during breastfeeding. Because it is poorly absorbed after topical application, calcipotriene is probably a low risk to the nursing infant and is generally considered acceptable during breastfeeding, although some sources recommend avoiding the nipple area.[1-4] Avoid application of the combination products containing betamethasone (Enstilar) to the breast. Only water-miscible cream or gel products should be applied to the breast because ointments may expose the infant to high levels of mineral paraffins via licking.[5]
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Calcipotriene” (LM725), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Calcipotriene while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
Nursing Mothers It is not known whether calcipotriene is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when calcipotriene ointment, 0.005% is administered to a nursing woman.
Prescribing label, section “Nursing Mothers”: Calcipotriene (topical), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc. Label 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): Dovonex.
US name: calcipotriene.
Sources
- NHS, Calcipotriol (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 7 August 2026. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: Calcipotriene (topical), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., human prescription drug, label effective 14 July 2026, set ID 277d843a-0ea9-429d-813d-49ed72dafb64. 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 “Calcipotriene” (LM725), 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.