Can I take dexamethasone tablets and liquid while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about dexamethasone tablets and liquid.
In short
Pregnancy: Steroids are often used in pregnancy, and most doctors will advise you to keep taking them.
Breastfeeding: If your doctor or health visitor tells you your baby is healthy, you can usually take dexamethasone while breastfeeding.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- You can take dexamethasone in pregnancy, but speak to your doctor or specialist.
- They may want to move you to another type of steroid that is less likely to reach your baby, such as prednisolone.
- Do not stop dexamethasone until you've talked to your doctor.
- If you take dexamethasone, you may be offered extra scans later in pregnancy to check your baby's growth.
Breastfeeding
- The amount of dexamethasone that reaches breast milk is not known, but it's probably very low.
- If you take dexamethasone for a short time only, side effects in your baby are unlikely.
- Your baby may need extra monitoring if you take higher doses or need it long term.
- Dexamethasone has been used as a treatment for babies for many years.
- As soon as you can, get in touch with your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor if your baby is feeding less well than normal or not gaining weight as you'd expect, 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
Dexamethasone tablets and liquid in pregnancy
The NHS says
Steroids are often used in pregnancy, and most doctors will advise you to keep taking them.
You can take dexamethasone in pregnancy, but speak to your doctor or specialist. They may want to move you to another type of steroid that is less likely to reach your baby, such as prednisolone.
Do not stop dexamethasone until you've talked to your doctor.
If you take dexamethasone, you may be offered extra scans later in pregnancy to check your baby's growth.
In our words, from the NHS page Dexamethasone tablets and liquid (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: Corticosteroids have been shown to be teratogenic in many species when given in doses equivalent to the human dose. Animal studies in which corticosteroids have been given to pregnant mice, rats, and rabbits have yielded an increased incidence of cleft palate in the offspring. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Corticosteroids should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Infants born to mothers who have received substantial doses of corticosteroids during pregnancy should be carefully observed for signs of hypoadrenalism.
Prescribing label, section “Pregnancy”: Dexamethasone (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Dexamethasone tablets and liquid while breastfeeding
The NHS says
If your doctor or health visitor tells you your baby is healthy, you can usually take dexamethasone while breastfeeding.
The amount of dexamethasone that reaches breast milk is not known, but it's probably very low.
If you take dexamethasone for a short time only, side effects in your baby are unlikely. Your baby may need extra monitoring if you take higher doses or need it long term.
Dexamethasone has been used as a treatment for babies for many years.
As soon as you can, get in touch with your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor if your baby is feeding less well than normal or not gaining weight as you'd expect, or if anything else about your baby worries you.
In our words, from the NHS page Dexamethasone tablets and liquid (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
Little information is available on the use of systemic dexamethasone during breastfeeding. Short-term use of dexamethasone is unlikely to affect the breastfed infant. An alternate corticosteroid might be preferred for long-tern use. Local injections, such as for tendinitis, are not expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. Medium to large doses of corticosteroids, including dexamethasone, given systemically or injected into joints or the breast have been reported to cause temporary reduction of lactation. See also Dexamethasone, Topical.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Dexamethasone” (LM86), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Dexamethasone while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
NURSING MOTHERS Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other untoward effects. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from corticosteroids, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Prescribing label, section “Nursing Mothers”: Dexamethasone (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Other names
UK brand names (per the NHS): Neofordex, Glensoludex, Martapan.
US name: dexamethasone.
The NHS has separate pages for other forms: dexamethasone eye drops.
Sources
- NHS, Dexamethasone tablets and liquid (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 7 September 2023. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: Dexamethasone (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC., human prescription drug, label effective 4 September 2026, set ID 8c5375a7-7a0d-4af0-8b86-bc87698ac3d1. 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 “Dexamethasone” (LM86), 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.