Pregnancy Breastfeeding And Fertility While Taking Verapamil

Verapamil and pregnancy

You can take verapamil during pregnancy, although it's not commonly used.

If you take verapamil to treat high blood pressure you will usually be switched to a different medicine.

If you're taking verapamil for angina or heart rhythm problems then you should have an appointment with a pregnancy specialist (obstetrician) and a heart specialist (cardiologist) to discuss your medicine. It's important to keep taking verapamil until you have your review.

Find out about high blood pressure in pregnancy

Verapamil and breastfeeding

If your baby is healthy, it's OK to take verapamil while you're breastfeeding.

Verapamil passes into breast milk in tiny amounts. It has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies.

It's important to keep taking verapamil to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby.

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, or not gaining weight as expected
• is unusually sleepy or irritable
• is being sick (vomiting)
• is unusually pale
• has a rash

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.

Verapamil and fertility

There's no evidence to suggest that taking verapamil will reduce fertility in either men or women.

Talk to your doctor if you're having problems getting pregnant while taking verapamil.

Speak to your doctor if you're trying for a baby as they may want to review your treatment.

Tell your doctor if you're:

• trying to get pregnant
• pregnant
• breastfeeding

Find out more about how verapamil can affect you and your baby during pregnancy on the Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) website.

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