Can I take mebendazole while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about mebendazole.
In short
Pregnancy: If you're pregnant, or think you might be, speak to a doctor or pharmacist before you take mebendazole.
Breastfeeding: If you're breastfeeding, speak to a doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- Mebendazole can be used during pregnancy when its benefits outweigh the risks to your baby.
- A doctor may suggest you first try treating the infection with hygiene measures, such as washing your hands regularly and keeping your fingernails short, especially in early pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
- Mebendazole can often be used by breastfeeding mothers, but it's best to check first, as small amounts of the medicine can get into your breast milk.
- If you're taking mebendazole while breastfeeding and you're worried about your baby, speak to a healthcare professional.
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
Mebendazole in pregnancy
The NHS says
If you're pregnant, or think you might be, speak to a doctor or pharmacist before you take mebendazole.
Mebendazole can be used during pregnancy when its benefits outweigh the risks to your baby. A doctor may suggest you first try treating the infection with hygiene measures, such as washing your hands regularly and keeping your fingernails short, especially in early pregnancy.
In our words, from the NHS page Mebendazole (Ovex) (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 published literature on mebendazole use in pregnant women has not reported a clear association between mebendazole and a potential risk of major birth defects or miscarriages [see Data ].
Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): VERMOX (oral), Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
More on mebendazole in pregnancy: Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) leaflet (external site).
Mebendazole while breastfeeding
The NHS says
If you're breastfeeding, speak to a doctor or pharmacist.
Mebendazole can often be used by breastfeeding mothers, but it's best to check first, as small amounts of the medicine can get into your breast milk.
If you're taking mebendazole while breastfeeding and you're worried about your baby, speak to a healthcare professional.
In our words, from the NHS page Mebendazole (Ovex) (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
Mebendazole is poorly excreted into breastmilk and poorly absorbed orally. Reports on the use of mebendazole during breastfeeding have found no adverse reactions in breastfed infants. There are rare case reports of a decrease in milk supply following use of mebendazole, but no convincing evidence that these were caused by the drug. No special precautions are required.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Mebendazole” (LM465), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Mebendazole while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
8.2 Lactation Risk Summary Limited data from case reports demonstrate that a small amount of mebendazole is present in human milk following oral administration. There are no reports of effects on the breastfed infant, and the limited reports on the effects on milk production are inconsistent. The limited clinical data during lactation precludes a clear determination of the risk of VERMOX™ CHEWABLE to a breastfed infant; therefore, developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for VERMOX™ CHEWABLE and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from VERMOX™ CHEWABLE or from the underlying maternal condition.
Prescribing label, section “8.2 Lactation”: VERMOX (oral), Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Other names
UK brand names (per the NHS): Ovex, Vermox.
Sources
- NHS, Mebendazole (Ovex) (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 22 July 2026. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: VERMOX (oral), Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., human prescription drug, label effective 5 October 2021, set ID a720c424-517a-461b-8e13-6c37caf8aa3f. 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 “Mebendazole” (LM465), 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.