Can I take lisinopril while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about lisinopril.
In short
Pregnancy: Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or become pregnant.
Breastfeeding: Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- Lisinopril is not usually used in pregnancy because it can affect the development of your baby's kidneys, skull, lungs and joints, lower the amount of amniotic fluid that protects your baby in the womb, and raise the risk of stillbirth.
- A doctor will suggest a different medicine that's safer to take while pregnant.
Breastfeeding
- Lisinopril may be taken by breastfeeding mothers, but it's best to check first, as small amounts of the medicine may get into your breast milk.
- A doctor may suggest you try a different ACE inhibitor, enalapril, while breastfeeding.
When to get help
- If you're taking lisinopril 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
Lisinopril in pregnancy
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're pregnant or become pregnant.
Lisinopril is not usually used in pregnancy because it can affect the development of your baby's kidneys, skull, lungs and joints, lower the amount of amniotic fluid that protects your baby in the womb, and raise the risk of stillbirth.
A doctor will suggest a different medicine that's safer to take while pregnant.
In our words, from the NHS page Lisinopril (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 Pregnancy Category D Use of drugs that act on the renin-angiotensin system during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy reduces fetal renal function and increases fetal and neonatal morbidity and death. Resulting oligohydramnios can be associated with fetal lung hypoplasia and skeletal deformations. Potential neonatal adverse effects include skull hypoplasia, anuria, hypotension, renal failure, and death. When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Lisinopril as soon as possible. These adverse outcomes are usually associated with use of these drugs in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Most epidemiologic studies examining fetal abnormalities after exposure to antihypertensive use in the first trimester have not distinguished drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system from other antihypertensive agents. Appropriate management of maternal hypertension during pregnancy is important to optimize outcomes for both mother and fetus. In the unusual case that there is no appropriate alternative to therapy with drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system for a particular patient, apprise the mother of the potential risk to the fetus.
Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): LISINOPRIL (oral), St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
More on lisinopril in pregnancy: Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) leaflet (external site).
Lisinopril while breastfeeding
The NHS says
Let your doctor know if you're breastfeeding.
Lisinopril may be taken by breastfeeding mothers, but it's best to check first, as small amounts of the medicine may get into your breast milk.
A doctor may suggest you try a different ACE inhibitor, enalapril, while breastfeeding.
If you're taking lisinopril while breastfeeding and you're worried about your baby, speak to a healthcare professional or call NHS 111 (in the UK).
In our words, from the NHS page Lisinopril (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
Because of the low levels of lisinopril in breastmilk, amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Lisinopril” (LM160), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Lisinopril while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
Nursing Mothers Milk of lactating rats contains radioactivity following administration of 14 C lisinopril. It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from ACE inhibitors, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or discontinue Lisinopril, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Prescribing label, section “Nursing Mothers”: LISINOPRIL (oral), St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Sources
- NHS, Lisinopril (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 4 February 2026. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: LISINOPRIL (oral), St. Mary's Medical Park Pharmacy, human prescription drug, label effective 17 July 2026, set ID 6051cc96-86e0-bd0b-e053-2a91aa0a5dcf. 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 “Lisinopril” (LM160), 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.