Is midazolam 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.
The questions people actually ask about midazolam 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 midazolam. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?
Studies have not been done in humans to see if taking midazolam could make it harder to get pregnant. In an experimental animal study, midazolam did not affect fertility (ability to get pregnant).
Does taking midazolam increase the chance of miscarriage?
Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. Studies have not been done to see if midazolam could increase the chance of miscarriage.
Does taking midazolam 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 published data to try to understand if an exposure, like midazolam, might increase the chance of birth defects in a pregnancy. Studies have not been done in humans to see if midazolam can increase the chance of birth defects. Animal studies did not find a higher chance of birth defects with exposure to midazolam.
Does taking a benzodiazepine increase the chance of birth defects, such as cleft lip and palate?
Some of the first studies that looked at the use of other benzodiazepines in pregnancy suggested a slight increased chance of cleft lip and/or cleft palate (opening in the upper lip and/or the roof of the mouth) if taken during the first trimester. Since these early reports, there have been other studies and reviews that have not found an increased chance of birth defects with the use of benzodiazepines during the first trimester.
Does taking midazolam in pregnancy increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems?
Studies have not been done to see if midazolam 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).
If used near the end of a pregnancy, will midazolam cause symptoms in my baby after birth?
The use of midazolam as part of a C-section can cause temporary symptoms in newborns such as trouble breathing soon after birth. Not all babies exposed to midazolam will have this issue. There have been reports of use of midazolam during C-section without problems for the newborn. C-section itself can cause temporary breathing problem in the baby.
Does taking midazolam in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child?
Studies have not been done to see if midazolam can increase the chance of behavior or learning issues for the child. Animal studies have reported that midazolam, in combination with other medications for general anesthesia, might affect the developing brain. Based on this, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suggested that midazolam be avoided for use as general anesthesia and sedation during the third trimester of pregnancy for surgeries not related to delivery of the baby. If needed for a C-section, the baby would be exposed only for a short period of time; this has not been associated with learning issues. For more general information on anesthesia, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet at https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/general-anesthesia-pregnancy/ .
If a man takes midazolam, could it affect fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?
Studies have not been done to see if midazolam could affect men’s fertility (ability to get a partner pregnant) or increase the chance of birth defects. In general, exposures that fathers or sperm donors have are unlikely to increase 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 — Midazolam, published December 2024. 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 midazolam
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.