Can I take eplerenone while pregnant or breastfeeding?

A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about eplerenone.

In short

Pregnancy: Eplerenone is sometimes, though only occasionally, prescribed in pregnancy for certain medical conditions.

Breastfeeding: If your doctor or midwife tells you your baby is healthy, you can take eplerenone during breastfeeding, although other medicines might be better.

Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.

What this means for you

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding

When to get help

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

Eplerenone in pregnancy

The NHS says

Eplerenone is sometimes, though only occasionally, prescribed in pregnancy for certain medical conditions.

If you take eplerenone and you're pregnant or trying for a baby, ask your doctor whether carrying on with it is right for you. They can explain the benefits and possible risks of eplerenone and suggest other medicines that may suit you better.

In our words, from the NHS page Eplerenone (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

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary The available data from published case reports on eplerenone use during pregnancy are insufficient to establish a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, adverse maternal or fetal outcomes (see Clinical Considerations). In animal studies, no adverse developmental effects were observed when eplerenone was administered to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis at exposures 32 and 31 times, respectively the human exposure at the 100 mg/day therapeutic dose. The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population are unknown. In the US general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively.

Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Eplerenone (oral), Bryant Ranch Prepack. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.

Eplerenone while breastfeeding

The NHS says

If your doctor or midwife tells you your baby is healthy, you can take eplerenone during breastfeeding, although other medicines might be better.

The little information there is on eplerenone and breastfeeding shows that very small amounts reach breast milk. A medicine with more information about its use in breastfeeding might be a better choice. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist first, and they will help you decide.

Your doctor may still recommend eplerenone, because treating your condition is important to keep you well. Breastfeeding also benefits both of you.

Call 111 (NHS 111 in the UK) or get in touch with your health visitor, midwife, doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can if anything worries you. This includes your baby having changes in their usual feeding, seeming irritable (including trouble sleeping), seeming unusually tired, having an upset stomach (for example vomiting or diarrhoea), being constipated, or having skin rashes.

In our words, from the NHS page Eplerenone (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

Data from one mother-infant pair indicate that eplerenone is poorly excreted into breastmilk. Until more data are available, eplerenone should be used with careful infant monitoring during breastfeeding.

“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Eplerenone” (eplerenone), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Eplerenone while breastfeeding.

The US prescribing label says

8.2 Lactation Risk Summary There are no human data available on whether eplerenone is present in human milk, or has effects on breastfed infants or on milk production. Eplerenone was present in the milk of lactating rats. When a drug is present in animal milk, it is likely that the drug will be present in human milk.

Prescribing label, section “8.2 Lactation”: Eplerenone (oral), Bryant Ranch Prepack. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.

Other names

UK brand names (per the NHS): Inspra.

Sources

  1. NHS, Eplerenone (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 2 February 2024. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. US drug label: Eplerenone (oral), Bryant Ranch Prepack, human prescription drug, label effective 24 June 2026, set ID bcd7595f-700f-48ba-bf83-05a995ce0731. DailyMed (National Library of Medicine). Public domain; quoted verbatim.
  3. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Eplerenone” (eplerenone), 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.