Dolutegravir

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Date: December 2025, Version 2.1

Quick read

Dolutegravir can be used in pregnancy.

What is it?

Dolutegravir (TivicayÒ) is used to treat HIV infection, often in combination with other medicines.

Benefits

What are the benefits of taking dolutegravir in pregnancy?

Dolutegravir protects your immune system from damage caused by HIV infection. Dolutegravir can also prevent HIV from passing to your unborn baby during pregnancy and birth. For these reasons, dolutegravir is one of the first choice drugs treat HIV during pregnancy.

Risks

Are there any risks of taking dolutegravir during pregnancy?

There is no evidence that using dolutegravir in early pregnancy increases the risk of your baby having a birth defect. The most up-to-date studies do not show that dolutegravir increases the risk of your baby having a neural tube defect like spina bifida.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to taking dolutegravir?

Possibly, as other drugs can be used to treat HIV. However, if dolutegravir is recommended for you, this is because it is the best option to keep you well and prevent HIV from passing to your unborn baby.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to take medicines during pregnancy?

It is very important to continue to treat HIV infection during pregnancy to make sure you and your unborn baby stay well.

Will my baby need extra monitoring?

All pregnant women in the UK are offered a very detailed anomaly scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of their routine antenatal care. Women who take dolutegravir in early pregnancy will be offered this scan as usual.

Women with HIV will be more closely monitored during pregnancy to ensure that they remain well, that their baby is growing as expected, and that their medication dose can be adjusted to reduce the risk of HIV passing to the baby.

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

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

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.