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Detailed medicine guidance

Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility while taking esomeprazole

NHS medicines information on esomeprazole and whether you can take it while pregnant or breastfeeding.

About this information

This NHS content is written for people in England. Medicine names, availability, prescribing and services may differ in other countries.

Esomeprazole and pregnancy

There is little information about taking esomeprazole during pregnancy, so it's not recommended.

Your doctor may suggest a similar medicine, called omeprazole, because there's more safety information available on it.

Esomeprazole and breastfeeding

You may be able to take esomeprazole while you're breastfeeding, but check with your doctor first.

There is not much information about taking esomeprazole while breastfeeding, it shows that some esomeprazole passes into breast milk but the amount is probably too small to be harmful.

It's rare for breastfed babies to get any side effects from medicines you're taking, but speak to a healthcare professional or call NHS 111 if you notice that your baby:

  • is not feeding as well as usual
  • has constipation, diarrhoea or is being sick (vomiting)
  • is being irritable
  • has a rash
  • is not sleeping well

If your baby has any symptoms that are not listed, or if you're worried about them, you can also call 111 or contact any healthcare professional.

View the original NHS website page ↗. Refreshed 19 August 2026.

Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 ↗. MyPHU is independent and is not endorsed by the NHS.

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