Pantoprazole and pregnancy
Pantoprazole is not usually recommended because there is very little information about its use during pregnancy.
Your doctor may recommend a similar medicine called omeprazole instead as there is more safety information available.
If your symptoms are mild, you may wish to try to treat them without taking medicine. You could try eating smaller meals more often and avoiding fatty and spicy foods. Sitting up straight when you eat can also help as it takes the pressure off your stomach.
If you get symptoms at night, you can prop your head and shoulders up in bed. This helps to stop stomach acid coming up while you sleep.
Pantoprazole and breastfeeding
You can take pantoprazole while you're breastfeeding.
There's not much information about taking pantoprazole while breastfeeding, but it shows that pantoprazole passes into breast milk in tiny amounts. Your baby will not be able to absorb a lot into their body from the breast milk, so it's unlikely to cause them any side effects.
It's very rare for breastfed babies to have 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 constipation, diarrhoea or being sick (vomiting)
- is being irritable
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.
Carry on taking the medicine, and keep breastfeeding as usual until you've got advice about your baby's symptoms.
Pantoprazole and fertility
There's no evidence to suggest that taking pantoprazole will reduce fertility in either men or women.
However, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant as they may want to review your treatment.
Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you're:
- trying to get pregnant
- pregnant
- breastfeeding