Is Ibuprofen (Advil) safe during pregnancy?
What the FDA-approved label for Ibuprofen (Advil) actually states in its Pregnancy Risk Summary — not a secondhand verdict. The decision is one to make with your prescriber.
What the label’s pregnancy summary says
The label names a specific fetal risk: as an NSAID, ibuprofen can cause premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus and fetal renal dysfunction leading to oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid) and, in some cases, neonatal kidney impairment. Because of this, the label says to limit use between about 20 and 30 weeks of gestation and to avoid it at about 30 weeks and later. For the first and second trimesters, the label calls observational data on other embryofetal risks inconclusive and says the background risk of birth defects/miscarriage for this population is unknown. This is not medical advice for your situation — a pregnant person should consult their prescriber about the label's guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ibuprofen safe to take during pregnancy?
The label flags a real concern for Ibuprofen — see the summary above. This is not a drug to start or continue in pregnancy on your own; it needs a prescriber weighing the specific risks against the reason you would take it. The one universal rule: do not start or stop a medication in pregnancy without medical advice — an untreated condition can carry its own risk to a pregnancy.
What does the FDA label say about Ibuprofen in pregnancy?
The summary above is transcribed from the label's Pregnancy Risk Summary (§8.1). Since 2015 FDA labels replaced the old A/B/C/D/X letter categories with a narrative that describes what human and animal data actually show, which is what you are reading here — not a single letter grade.
Is Ibuprofen safe while breastfeeding?
That is a separate question the label answers in a different section (§8.2, Lactation), and it does not always match the pregnancy verdict. This page covers pregnancy only. For breastfeeding, ask your prescriber or pharmacist, or check the NIH LactMed database, which summarizes the drug-in-breast-milk evidence.
The questions people actually ask about ibuprofen 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 ibuprofen. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?
It is not known if ibuprofen can make it harder to get pregnant. A few small studies have suggested using ibuprofen might increase the chance for unruptured follicle syndrome. This is when a follicle (small, fluid-filled sac in the ovary that holds an egg) does not release the egg at the time of ovulation. Unruptured follicle syndrome might make it harder to get pregnant.
Does taking ibuprofen increase the chance of miscarriage?
Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. Some studies have suggested that the use of ibuprofen might increase the chance of miscarriage, especially if taken around the time of conception or over a long period of time. As there can be many causes of miscarriage, it is hard to know if a medication, the medical condition being treated, or other factors are the cause of a miscarriage.
Does taking ibuprofen increase the chance of birth defects?
Birth defects can happen in any pregnancy for different reasons. Out of all babies born each year, about 3 out of 100 (3%) will have a birth defect. We look at research studies to try to understand if an exposure, like ibuprofen, might increase the chance of birth defects in a pregnancy.
There are studies that have not reported an increased chance of birth defects with ibuprofen use. A few studies have suggested that taking ibuprofen in the first trimester might lead to a small increased chance (less than 1%) for gastroschisis (when the intestines stick out of a hole in the stomach wall). One study is not enough information to make a conclusion about the chance of birth defects.
A small increased chance of heart defects has been reported in a few studies looking at NSAID prescriptions in early pregnancy. However, the reason the NSAID was prescribed was not available in most of the reported data. Studies based on prescription records cannot tell if a person actually took the medication. This makes it hard to know if the study outcomes are related to the medication or other factors.
Does taking ibuprofen in pregnancy increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems?
Ibuprofen is generally not recommended for use after week 20 of pregnancy. There have been some reports that NSAID use in the 2 nd half of pregnancy might affect the fetal kidneys and the amount of amniotic fluid (fluid that surrounds the fetus in the uterus). One study suggested that the use of NSAIDS in the 1st half of pregnancy might also affect the fetal kidneys and amount of amniotic fluid. If there is not enough amniotic fluid (called oligohydramnios), other pregnancy complications, such as poor lung development and joint contractures (joints are stiff or unable to move), could happen. Oligohydramnios can also increase the chance that an early delivery is needed through induction of labor or C-section. In some cases, oligohydramnios could cause fetal demise.
Ibuprofen use later in pregnancy might also cause premature closure of the ductus arteriosus (an opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart). If the ductus arteriosus closes before it should, it can cause high blood pressure in the fetal lungs (pulmonary hypertension).
There are some studies that suggest NSAIDs can increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems, such as preterm delivery (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces [2500 grams] at birth. Other studies have not reported these findings.
Ibuprofen should only be used under a healthcare provider’s supervision, particularly in the 2 nd and 3 rd trimesters. Your healthcare providers can closely monitor your pregnancy if you need to use ibuprofen after week 20 of pregnancy.
Does taking ibuprofen in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child?
It is not known if ibuprofen can increase the chance of behavior or learning issues for the child.
If a man takes ibuprofen, could it affect his fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?
It is not known if ibuprofen could affect a man’s fertility (ability to get a woman pregnant). Studies have not been done to see if ibuprofen could increase the chance of birth defects. In general, exposures that men have are unlikely to increase the risks to a pregnancy. For more information, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet Paternal Exposures at https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/paternal-exposures-pregnancy/ .
Quoted from MotherToBaby Fact Sheets — Ibuprofen, published March 2025. 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 ibuprofen
More guides for Ibuprofen
Source
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The pregnancy information is transcribed from the drug’s FDA-approved label (§8.1) and mirrors what the label states — “insufficient data” is never rounded up to “safe.” 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.