Tramadol

(Date: May 2022. Version: 2)

This factsheet has been written for members of the public by the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS). UKTIS is a not-for-profit organisation funded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on behalf of UK Health Departments. UKTIS has been providing scientific information to health care providers since 1983 on the effects that medicines, recreational drugs and chemicals may have on the developing baby during pregnancy.

What is it?

Tramadol is a painkiller used to treat moderate or severe pain and chronic (long-term) pain.

What are the benefits of taking tramadol in pregnancy?

Tramadol is a reasonably strong painkiller and sometimes works where other painkillers have not.

Pregnant women who are taking tramadol should contact their midwife, GP or obstetrician as soon as possible. They will review whether tramadol is still needed and ensure that the dose is correct. Please do not stop taking tramadol or change the dose without speaking to a health care professional.

Are there any risks of taking tramadol during pregnancy?

Studies of pregnant women using tramadol do not, overall, suggest that it can cause miscarriage or birth defects in the baby.

Tramadol used around the time of delivery can affect the baby after birth. The baby may be ‘jittery’, have feeding problems, and initially need some help with breathing. These problems usually settle within the first few days.

Are there any alternatives to taking tramadol?

Possibly. Other medicines can be used to treat pain in pregnancy. However, if a doctor has offered tramadol this will be based on several factors, including which painkillers have already been tried, the likelihood of pain not being as well-controlled with another painkiller, and possible side effects if the medicine is changed. Women who have questions about a medicine that they are offered in pregnancy can speak to their doctor or midwife.

Chronic pain can sometimes be improved with talking therapies. However, this does not work for everyone and some people may need or prefer to take a medicine.

What if I prefer not to take tramadol during pregnancy?

Severe and/or chronic pain can greatly affect quality of life. It can cause difficulty sleeping and mental health problems. Doctors may suggest taking tramadol in pregnancy if they think that the benefits of controlling the woman’s pain outweigh any possible risks to the baby.

Will I or my baby need any 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 tramadol in pregnancy is not expected to cause problems that would require any extra monitoring of the baby prior to birth.

Babies who were exposed to tramadol in the womb before delivery may be more closely monitored for a while after birth to ensure that they are breathing and feeding as normal.

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

We would not expect any increased risk to the baby if the father takes tramadol.

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 allows women with a current or previous pregnancy to create a digitally secure ‘my bumps record’. You will be asked to enter information about your health, whether or not you take any medicines, and your pregnancy outcome. 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 https://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Login/ to register.

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General information 

Up to 1 out of every 5 pregnancies ends in a miscarriage, and 1 in 40 babies are born with a birth defect. These are referred to as the background population risks.  They describe the chance of these events happening for any pregnancy before taking factors such as the mother’s health during pregnancy, her lifestyle, medicines she takes and the genetic make up of her and the baby’s father into account.

Medicines use in pregnancy

Most medicines used by the mother will cross the placenta and reach the baby. Sometimes this may have beneficial effects for the baby.  There are, however, some medicines that can harm a baby’s normal development.  How a medicine affects a baby may depend on the stage of pregnancy when the medicine is taken. If you are on regular medication you should discuss these effects with your doctor/health care team before becoming pregnant.

If a new medicine is suggested for you during pregnancy, please ensure the doctor or health care professional treating you is aware of your pregnancy.

When deciding whether or not to use a medicine in pregnancy you need to weigh up how the medicine might improve your and/or your unborn baby’s health against any possible problems that the drug may cause. Our bumps leaflets are written to provide you with a summary of what is known about use of a specific medicine in pregnancy so that you can decide together with your health care provider what is best for you and your baby.   

Every pregnancy is unique. The decision to start, stop, continue or change a prescribed medicine before or during pregnancy should be made in consultation with your health care provider. It is very helpful if you can record all your medication taken in pregnancy in your hand held maternity records.

   

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to replace the individual care and advice of your health care provider. New information is continually becoming available. Whilst every effort will be made to ensure that this information is accurate and up to date at the time of publication, we cannot cover every eventuality and the information providers cannot be held responsible for any adverse outcomes following decisions made on the basis of this information. We strongly advise that printouts should NOT be kept for any length of time, or for “future reference” as they can rapidly become out of date.

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