Duloxetine

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Date: April 2026, Version 5.0

Quick take

Duloxetine can be used in pregnancy if recommended by a GP or specialist.

What is it?

Duloxetine (Depalta®, Duciltia®) is a medicine used to treat depression, anxiety, neuropathic pain, and urinary incontinence.

Benefits

What are the benefits of taking duloxetine in pregnancy?

Duloxetine can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and can help to treat neuropathic pain. Its use can help you remain well during pregnancy and while looking after your baby.

Risks

Are there any risks of taking duloxetine during pregnancy?

There is no evidence that duloxetine affects your baby’s development or increases the chance of miscarriage, stillbirth, or preterm birth.

If you take duloxetine later in pregnancy, you will usually be advised to give birth in hospital. This is because:

•    Duloxetine and similar medicines can sometimes cause short-term withdrawal symptoms in newborn babies. Your baby may need to be checked and observed for a few days after birth.

•    Very rarely, medicines similar to duloxetine taken in late pregnancy can cause a problem in the baby, where blood flow to the lungs is too high; this is called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). After birth, your baby will be checked for breathing problems by a midwife or paediatrician.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to taking duloxetine in pregnancy?

Possibly. Your GP or mental health specialist will be able to advise whether duloxetine is still the best treatment for you during pregnancy.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to take duloxetine during pregnancy?

Duloxetine may be recommended in pregnancy if it is the best way to help you stay well. If you are advised to continue duloxetine, you will be able to 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 their routine antenatal care. Taking duloxetine in pregnancy would not normally require extra monitoring of your baby for birth defects.

If you have taken duloxetine around the time of delivery, your baby may require extra monitoring after birth because of the possible risk of neonatal withdrawal symptoms.

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

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

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.