Can I take omeprazole while pregnant or breastfeeding?
A plain-words look at what the NHS, the US drug label and LactMed say about omeprazole.
In short
Pregnancy: If you're pregnant, you can usually take omeprazole. Check with a doctor or pharmacist first, though.
Breastfeeding: Omeprazole can usually be taken while you're breastfeeding, but check with a doctor or pharmacist first.
Your doctor, midwife or pharmacist can help you decide.
What this means for you
Pregnancy
- If you're pregnant, you can usually take omeprazole.
- Check with a doctor or pharmacist first, though.
Breastfeeding
- Side effects in breastfed babies from medicines their mother takes are rare, but speak to a healthcare professional if you're worried about your baby.
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
Omeprazole in pregnancy
The NHS says
If you're pregnant, you can usually take omeprazole. Check with a doctor or pharmacist first, though.
In our words, from the NHS page Omeprazole (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
If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use.
Drug Facts label: omeprazole (oral), Rite Aid Corporation. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary There are no adequate and well-controlled studies with omeprazole in pregnant women. Available epidemiologic data fail to demonstrate an increased risk of major congenital malformations or other adverse pregnancy outcomes with first trimester omeprazole use. Reproduction studies in rats and rabbits resulted in dose-dependent embryo-lethality at omeprazole doses that were approximately 3.4 to 34 times an oral human dose of 40 mg (based on a body surface area for a 60 kg person). Teratogenicity was not observed in animal reproduction studies with administration of oral esomeprazole (an enantiomer of omeprazole) magnesium in rats and rabbits during organogenesis with doses about 68 times and 42 times, respectively, an oral human dose of 40 mg esomeprazole or 40 mg omeprazole (based on body surface area for a 60 kg person). Changes in bone morphology were observed in offspring of rats dosed through most of pregnancy and lactation at doses equal to or greater than approximately 34 times an oral human dose of 40 mg esomeprazole or 40 mg omeprazole.
Prescribing label, section “8.1 Pregnancy” (opening excerpt): Omeprazole (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC. Read the full section on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
More on omeprazole in pregnancy: Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) leaflet (external site).
Omeprazole while breastfeeding
The NHS says
Omeprazole can usually be taken while you're breastfeeding, but check with a doctor or pharmacist first.
Side effects in breastfed babies from medicines their mother takes are rare, but speak to a healthcare professional if you're worried about your baby.
In our words, from the NHS page Omeprazole (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
Limited information indicates that maternal omeprazole doses of 20 mg daily produce low levels in milk and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants.
“Summary of Use during Lactation”, LactMed record “Omeprazole” (LM375), quoted verbatim. Everything LactMed reports about Omeprazole while breastfeeding.
The US prescribing label says
8.2 Lactation Risk Summary Limited data suggest omeprazole may be present in human milk. There are no clinical data on the effects of omeprazole on the breastfed infant or on milk production. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for omeprazole and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from omeprazole or from the underlying maternal condition.
Prescribing label, section “8.2 Lactation”: Omeprazole (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC. Label on DailyMed. Quoted verbatim; US labels are written for US prescribers and patients.
Other names
UK brand names (per the NHS): Losec, Losec MUPS, Pyrocalm.
Indian brands (per NPPA): Omez.
Sources
- NHS, Omeprazole (nhs.uk), page last reviewed 17 September 2025. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US drug label: omeprazole (oral), Rite Aid Corporation, human otc drug, label effective 9 September 2026, set ID 28a0b4c8-3ad3-451c-a957-28aef5e3d8b5. DailyMed (National Library of Medicine). Public domain; quoted verbatim.
- US drug label: Omeprazole (oral), REMEDYREPACK INC., human prescription drug, label effective 5 August 2026, set ID ded0df8b-1813-4595-ac2b-5499704bfd48. 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 “Omeprazole” (LM375), 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.