Can I take lorazepam while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about lorazepam.
In short
Pregnancy: You can take lorazepam in pregnancy.
Breastfeeding: You can usually take lorazepam while breastfeeding if your doctor, health visitor or midwife tells you your baby is healthy.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- However, if you take lorazepam for a long time, especially near the end of pregnancy, your baby may be drowsy after birth and it can cause withdrawal effects.
- Your baby may need to be observed in hospital after the birth, which may mean you stay in hospital longer than usual.
- Talk to your doctor if you become pregnant while on lorazepam.
- They can explain the risks and benefits of taking it and help you pick the most suitable treatment for you and your baby.
Breastfeeding
- Information about lorazepam and breastfeeding is limited, but it shows that very small amounts get into breast milk.
- Side effects in your baby are more likely if you take lorazepam for longer, at high doses, or alongside other medicines, although they are still rare.
- Lorazepam can make a baby drowsy or tired, which can make feeding difficult for them.
- As soon as you can, get in touch with your health visitor, midwife, doctor or pharmacist if anything worries you, including if your baby is feeding less well than normal, seems unusually sleepy, or has unusual breathing.
- It's important that you do not share a bed with your baby while taking lorazepam.
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
Lorazepam in pregnancy
The NHS says
You can take lorazepam in pregnancy.
However, if you take lorazepam for a long time, especially near the end of pregnancy, your baby may be drowsy after birth and it can cause withdrawal effects. Your baby may need to be observed in hospital after the birth, which may mean you stay in hospital longer than usual.
Talk to your doctor if you become pregnant while on lorazepam. They can explain the risks and benefits of taking it and help you pick the most suitable treatment for you and your baby.
In our words, from the NHS page Lorazepam (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 Pregnancy Exposure Registry There is a pregnancy registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to psychiatric medications, including lorazepam, during pregnancy. Healthcare providers are encouraged to register patients by calling the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications at 1-866-961-2388 or visiting online at https://womensmentalhealth.org/pregnancyregistry/. Risk Summary Neonates born to mothers using benzodiazepines late in pregnancy have been reported to experience symptoms of sedation and/or neonatal withdrawal (see WARNINGS: Neonatal Sedation and Withdrawal Syndrome and Clinical Considerations). Available data from published observational studies of pregnant women exposed to benzodiazepines do not report a clear association with benzodiazepines and major birth defects (see Data). The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated risk of major birth defects and of miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively.
Prescribing label, section “Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Lorazepam (oral), Clinical Solutions Wholesale, LLC. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Lorazepam while breastfeeding
The NHS says
You can usually take lorazepam while breastfeeding if your doctor, health visitor or midwife tells you your baby is healthy.
Information about lorazepam and breastfeeding is limited, but it shows that very small amounts get into breast milk.
Side effects in your baby are more likely if you take lorazepam for longer, at high doses, or alongside other medicines, although they are still rare. Lorazepam can make a baby drowsy or tired, which can make feeding difficult for them.
As soon as you can, get in touch with your health visitor, midwife, doctor or pharmacist if anything worries you, including if your baby is feeding less well than normal, seems unusually sleepy, or has unusual breathing.
It's important that you do not share a bed with your baby while taking lorazepam.
In our words, from the NHS page Lorazepam (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
Lorazepam has low levels in breastmilk, a short half-life relative to many other benzodiazepines, and is safely administered directly to infants. Evidence from nursing mothers indicates that lorazepam does not cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants with usual maternal dosages. Monitor the infant for sedation, poor feeding and poor weight gain.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Lorazepam” (LM364), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Lorazepam while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
Nursing Mothers Risk Summary Lorazepam is present in breast milk. There are reports of sedation, poor feeding and poor weight gain in infants exposed to benzodiazepines through breast milk. The effects of lorazepam on milk production are unknown. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for lorazepam and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from lorazepam or from the underlying maternal condition.
Prescribing label, section “Nursing Mothers” (opening excerpt): Lorazepam (oral), Clinical Solutions Wholesale, LLC. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Other names
UK brand names (per the NHS): Ativan.
Sources
- NHS, Lorazepam (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 14 February 2023. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: Lorazepam (oral), Clinical Solutions Wholesale, LLC, human prescription drug, label effective 10 September 2026, set ID c0810422-b732-4c04-97d8-c1521c401ef4. 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 “Lorazepam” (LM364), 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.