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Is phenylephrine 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 phenylephrine (OTIS, published via the NIH) sourcesUpdated Jul 21, 2026How we research

The questions people actually ask about phenylephrine 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 phenylephrine. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?

It is not known if phenylephrine can make it harder to get pregnant.

Does taking phenylephrine 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 phenylephrine can increase the chance of miscarriage.

Does taking phenylephrine 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. Studies involving more than 1,500 people who were pregnant and took phenylephrine in the first trimester did not show an increased chance of birth defects. In another study looking at 1,249 people who took phenylephrine in the first trimester, a slightly higher chance for minor differences of the eyes or ears were reported (small changes that are not birth defects). Studies on other medications that work in the same way (make blood vessels smaller) have raised questions about a small increased chance of birth defects.

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

It is not known if phenylephrine might 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).

Phenylephrine can make blood vessels smaller (constrict). There are theoretical (not proven) concerns that using this medication could reduce blood flow through the placenta (organ that grows during pregnancy to supply the developing baby with food and oxygen).

Taking phenylephrine could raise your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about medications that would be best for you.

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

Studies have not been done to see if phenylephrine can increase the chance of behavior or learning issues for the child.

If a male takes phenylephrine, could it affect fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?

Studies have not been done to see if phenylephrine could affect male fertility (ability to get 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 — Phenylephrine, published September 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 phenylephrine

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.