Can I take dihydrocodeine while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about dihydrocodeine.
In short
Pregnancy: Let your doctor know if you're pregnant, or become pregnant while you're on dihydrocodeine.
Breastfeeding: Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding. Dihydrocodeine is not usually used during breastfeeding, because it could possibly cause side effects in your baby.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- Dihydrocodeine is sometimes used in pregnancy if needed.
- Your doctor will go through the risks and benefits of taking it while pregnant with you.
Breastfeeding
- Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding.
- Dihydrocodeine is not usually used during breastfeeding, because it could possibly cause side effects in your baby.
- If the benefits outweigh the risks, a doctor may recommend it for a few days, or they may suggest a different painkiller.
- Do not share a bed with your baby (co-sleep) after taking dihydrocodeine or any other medicine that makes you drowsy or sleepy, because this can raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
When to get help
- If you're taking dihydrocodeine while breastfeeding and you're worried about your baby, speak to a healthcare professional or call NHS 111 (in the UK).
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
Dihydrocodeine in pregnancy
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're pregnant, or become pregnant while you're on dihydrocodeine.
Dihydrocodeine is sometimes used in pregnancy if needed. Your doctor will go through the risks and benefits of taking it while pregnant with you.
In our words, from the NHS page Dihydrocodeine (nhs.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). The NHS does not endorse this site.
More on dihydrocodeine in pregnancy: Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) leaflet (external site).
Dihydrocodeine while breastfeeding
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding. Dihydrocodeine is not usually used during breastfeeding, because it could possibly cause side effects in your baby.
If the benefits outweigh the risks, a doctor may recommend it for a few days, or they may suggest a different painkiller.
If you're taking dihydrocodeine while breastfeeding and you're worried about your baby, speak to a healthcare professional or call NHS 111 (in the UK).
Do not share a bed with your baby (co-sleep) after taking dihydrocodeine or any other medicine that makes you drowsy or sleepy, because this can raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
In our words, from the NHS page Dihydrocodeine (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
Dihydrocodeine products are no longer marketed in the United States. Maternal use of oral opioids during breastfeeding can cause infant drowsiness, which may progress to rare but severe central nervous system depression. Like codeine, pharmacogenetics probably plays a role in the extent of central nervous system depression with dihydrocodeine. Newborn infants seem to be particularly sensitive to the effects of even small dosages of narcotic analgesics. Dihydrocodeine possibly caused severe respiratory depression in one newborn infant whose mother was taking the drug for cough. If dihydrocodeine is required by the mother of a newborn, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding; however, once the mother's milk comes in, it is best to provide pain control with a nonnarcotic analgesic and limit maternal intake of dihydrocodeine to 2 to 3 days at a low dosage with close infant monitoring. If the baby shows signs of increased sleepiness (more than usual), difficulty breastfeeding, breathing difficulties, or limpness, a physician should be contacted immediately. Withdrawal symptoms can occur in breastfed infants when maternal administration of an opioid analgesic is stopped, or when breastfeeding is stopped. Because there is little published experience with dihydrocodeine during breastfeeding, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Dihydrocodeine” (LM1123), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Dihydrocodeine while breastfeeding.
Sources
- NHS, Dihydrocodeine (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 3 September 2026. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Dihydrocodeine” (LM1123), 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.