Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility while taking lansoprazole

Although lansoprazole can be taken if you're pregnant, you'll usually be offered a similar medicine called omeprazole instead. This is because there is much more information about the safety of omeprazole in pregnancy.

If your symptoms are mild, you may wish to treat them without taking medicine. You can try eating smaller meals more often, and avoiding fatty and spicy foods. Sit up straight when you eat, as this will take the pressure off your stomach.

If you get symptoms at night, you could prop your head and shoulders up when you go to bed. This helps to stop stomach acid coming up while you sleep.

Tell your doctor if you're breastfeeding.

Lansoprazole can often be used when breastfeeding, but it's best to check because the medicine can pass into your breast milk in small amounts. Your doctor will usually recommend omeprazole or pantoprazole instead.

It's rare for breastfed babies to get any side effects from medicines you're taking. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.

Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if you notice that your baby:

• is not feeding as well as usual
• has difficulty pooing (constipation), diarrhoea or is being sick (vomiting)
• is irritable or unsettled
• has difficulty sleeping

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.