Paxlovid

Date: September 2025, Version 2.0

Quick read

Paxlovid® can be used in pregnancy if recommended by a healthcare professional.

What is it?

Paxlovid® is an antiviral medicine. It is offered to people with COVID-19 infection who have risk factors that increase their chance of severe symptoms.

Benefits

What are the benefits of using Paxlovid® in pregnancy?

Paxlovid® can stop early COVID-19 from developing into serious illness. It can reduce the chance of pregnancy complications caused by severe COVID-19 infection.

Risks

What are the risks of using Paxlovid® in pregnancy?

The small amount of available information on Paxlovid® use in pregnancy does not show that it harms the baby. More research is needed to confirm this.

Many pregnant women who need to take Paxlovid® will be past their first trimester. At this stage of pregnancy, use of a medicine will not cause a structural birth defect in the baby.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to using Paxlovid® in pregnancy?

Possibly. Other medicines can also prevent severe COVID-19 infection. Your doctor will advise which medicine is best for you.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is offered to people with risk factors for severe infection. Vaccination can help to prevent serious illness and may reduce the need for other medicines. COVID-19 vaccination is safe during pregnancy. For more details, click here.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to take medicines to treat COVID-19 during pregnancy?

Pregnant women with severe COVID-19 might need hospital treatment and are at increased risk of premature delivery and stillbirth. Your doctor will only offer medicines to treat COVID-19 when necessary and will be happy to talk through any of your concerns.

Will I or my baby need extra monitoring?

As part of routine antenatal care, most women will be offered a scan at 12 weeks of pregnancy and a more detailed scan at around 20 weeks to check the baby’s development. Taking Paxlovid in pregnancy is not expected to cause problems that would require any extra monitoring of your baby.

Are there any risks to my baby if the father has used Paxlovid®?

We do not expect any effects on the baby if the father used Paxlovid®.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions about the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your healthcare provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.

How can I help to improve drug safety information for pregnant women in the future?

Our online reporting system (MyBump Portal) allows women who are currently pregnant to create a secure record of their pregnancy, collected through a series of questionnaires. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, your pregnancy outcome and your child's development. You can update your details at any time during pregnancy or afterwards. This information will help us better understand how medicines affect the health of pregnant women and their babies. Please visit the MyBump Portal to register.

General information
Sadly, miscarriage and birth defects can occur in any pregnancy.

Miscarriage occurs in about 1 in every 5 pregnancies, and 1 in every 40 babies are born with a birth defect. This is called the ‘background risk’ and happens whether medication is taken or not.

Most medicines cross the placenta and reach the baby. For many medications this is not a problem. However, some medicines can affect a baby’s growth and development.

If you take regular medication and are planning to conceive, you should discuss whether your medicine is safe to continue with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy while taking a medicine, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please make sure that the person prescribing it knows that you are pregnant. If you have any concerns about a medicine, you can check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.

Our Bumps information leaflets provide information about the effects of medicines in pregnancy so that you can decide, together with your healthcare provider, what is best for you and your baby.