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Is albuterol safe during pregnancy?

Answered by MotherToBaby’s teratology specialists, quoted in full — including the questions most pages skip, like whether a father’s exposure matters.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the MotherToBaby fact sheet for albuterol (OTIS, published via the NIH) sourcesUpdated Jul 21, 2026How we research

The questions people actually ask about albuterol in pregnancy

Answered by MotherToBaby, the fact sheets written by the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists and published through the NIH. Quoted in full — we do not condense them.

I take albuterol. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?

It is not known if albuterol can make it harder to get pregnant. Animal studies have shown no effect on fertility.

Does taking albuterol increase the chance for miscarriage?

Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. It is not known if albuterol increases the chance for miscarriage.

Does taking albuterol increase the chance of birth defects?

Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. This is called the background risk. Although data is limited, studies do not suggest an increased chance for birth defects with the use of inhaled albuterol during pregnancy.

One study looked at the use of five different inhaled beta2-agonist bronchodilators in the first trimester of pregnancy. This study did not find an increase in the number of birth defects with use of any of these medications. Of the 259 people who were pregnant in this study, 20 of them took albuterol. Another study found a link between albuterol use and several types of birth defects. However, this study could not rule out the influence of asthma. Other studies do not support the suggestion that albuterol causes an increased chance for a pattern of birth defects.

Albuterol is considered a good medication to be used for asthma when a fast-acting inhaler is needed for immediate symptoms. It is important to treat asthma during pregnancy. Because albuterol is inhaled, it is absorbed into the body in lower amounts compared to pill / tablet forms of the medication. It is unknown how much, if any, of the medication reaches the developing baby. Research suggests that the amount is likely small. Use of a fast-acting albuterol inhaler more than two days per week can be a sign that asthma symptoms may not be well controlled. If so, talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to treat your asthma.

Does taking albuterol in pregnancy increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems?

Albuterol has been used in the second and third trimester of pregnancy to prevent preterm delivery (delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy). For treatment of preterm delivery, albuterol was given in high oral doses (by mouth). Treatment with high oral doses has been associated with an increase in maternal and fetal heart rate and a drop in maternal blood pressure. These effects are temporary. Long term effects from increased fetal heart rate have not been reported. Treatment with inhaled albuterol at prescribed doses has not been shown to cause these effects.

Does taking albuterol in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child?

It is not known if albuterol can cause behavior or learning issues.

If a male takes albuterol, could it affect fertility (ability to get partner pregnant) or increase the chance of birth defects?

There are no data to suggest that a father’s or sperm donor’s use of albuterol at the time of conception increases the chance for birth defects. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase the risks to a pregnancy. For more information, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet about Paternal Exposures at https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/ .

Quoted from MotherToBaby Fact Sheets — Albuterol, published April 2023. MotherToBaby states its fact sheets should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare providers.

Breastfeeding is a separate question — what LactMed says about albuterol

This is general reference information, not medical advice. Whether to take any medication in pregnancy is a decision for you and your prescriber; do not start or stop a drug on your own, because an untreated condition can also carry risk.