Amitriptyline

Date: November 2024, Version 3.0

Quick take

Amitriptyline can be used in pregnancy if recommended by a specialist.

What is it?

Amitriptyline is used to treat nerve pain, as well as some mental health conditions.

Benefits

What are the benefits of taking amitriptyline in pregnancy?

Amitriptyline treatment for nerve pain can improve your wellbeing and quality of life. Amitriptyline can also prevent relapse of serious mental health conditions, which is important both during pregnancy and while looking after your baby.

Risks

Are there any risks of taking amitriptyline during pregnancy?

Amitriptyline use in pregnancy is not known to harm the baby.

Amitriptyline used around the time of delivery might cause the newborn baby to have withdrawal symptoms such as jitteriness, and problems with feeding and sleeping. A hospital delivery will be recommended so that your baby can be assessed after birth and supported as necessary until these symptoms pass.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to taking amitriptyline in pregnancy?

Possibly. There may be other alternatives to treat nerve pain or a mental health condition. Your doctor will be able to advise whether amitriptyline is still the best treatment during pregnancy depending on your circumstances.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to take medicines during pregnancy?

It is very important that mental health conditions are treated to ensure a woman’s wellbeing during pregnancy and while looking after her baby. Amitriptyline use in pregnancy will only be recommended if you need it to stay well. You can discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

Will my baby need extra monitoring?

Women in the UK will be offered a very detailed scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of routine antenatal care. Taking amitriptyline in pregnancy would not normally require extra monitoring for birth defects.

If you have taken amitriptyline around the time of delivery your baby may require extra monitoring to check for withdrawal symptoms.

Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken amitriptyline?

We do not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father takes amitriptyline.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care 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.