Morphine
PrintWhat is it?
Morphine (Actimorph®, MST Continus®, Morphgesic®, MXL®, Oramorph®, Sevredol®, Zomorph®) is a painkiller used to treat severe pain and chronic (long-term) pain.
Benefits
What are the benefits of using morphine in pregnancy?
Morphine sometimes works where other painkillers have not. If your pain is well-treated, this can improve your sleep and quality of life.
Risks
Are there any risks of using morphine in pregnancy?
There are very few studies of pregnant women using morphine. The available information does not suggest that it affects the baby’s development, but more studies are needed to prove that it is safe.
Some studies have shown that morphine used in pregnancy might increase the chance of some eye problems in the baby, including squint, where one of the eyes is turned in. More information needs to be collected to confirm that morphine was the cause of these problems.
Morphine used around the time of delivery can affect your baby after birth. Your baby may have withdrawal symptoms such as being ‘jittery’, have feeding problems, and need some help with breathing. These problems usually settle within the first few days.
Alternatives
Are there any alternatives to using morphine in pregnancy?
Possibly. Other medicines can be used to treat pain in pregnancy. However, if your doctor has suggested morphine, this will be based on several factors, including which painkillers you have already tried, the chance of your pain not being as well-controlled with another painkiller, and possible side effects if your medicine is changed.
If you are taking morphine and planning a pregnancy, or get pregnant, please contact your doctor. They will review whether morphine is still the best treatment and ensure that your dose is correct. Please do not stop taking morphine or change the dose without speaking to a health care professional.
No treatment
What if I prefer not to take medicines to treat pain during pregnancy?
Severe and/or chronic pain can greatly affect your quality of life. It can cause difficulty sleeping and mental health problems. Your doctor might suggest you take morphine in pregnancy if they think that the benefits of controlling your pain outweigh any possible risks to your baby.
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 morphine in pregnancy is not expected to cause problems that would require any extra monitoring of your baby prior to birth.
Babies who were exposed to morphine in the womb before delivery will be more closely monitored for a while after birth to check for withdrawal symptoms and ensure they are breathing and feeding as normal.
Are there any risks to my baby if the father has used morphine?
We do not expect any increased risk to your baby if the father takes morphine.
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.