Rifampicin

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Date: May 2025, Version 2.0

Quick read

Rifampicin can be used in pregnancy if recommended by a doctor.

Benefits

What are the benefits of using rifampicin in pregnancy?

Rifampicin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®) is used to treat serious infections and can prevent complications for you and your baby.

Rifampicin may occasionally be prescribed to pregnant women to treat severe skin itching caused by a rare illness called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). For more information on ICP, please see the Bump leaflet Treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Risks

What are the risks of using rifampicin in pregnancy?

Rifampicin use in pregnancy has not been well-studied but the small amount of available information suggests it is unlikely to cause harm. Rifampicin is only used in pregnancy if the benefits of correctly treating an infection or itching caused by ICP outweigh the possible risks.

Alternatives

Are there any alternatives to taking rifampicin in pregnancy?

Possibly, although other treatments may not work as well. If rifampicin is recommended, a doctor will be able to speak with you about why it is the best treatment.

No treatment

What if I prefer not to take medicines in pregnancy?

It is important that an infection in pregnancy is well-treated as it can lead to serious complications for both you and your baby.

Severe itching caused by ICP can affect sleep, mental health, and quality of life.

A doctor will only prescribe medicines when necessary and will be happy to talk about any concerns.

Will I or my baby need extra monitoring?

As part of routine antenatal care, most women will be offered a very detailed scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy to check the baby’s development.

There is no evidence that using rifampicin during pregnancy causes any problems that would require extra monitoring of your baby. However, women who have experienced a serious infection during pregnancy or who have ICP will be offered additional monitoring to check both their and their baby’s wellbeing.

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

There is no evidence that rifampicin used by the father can harm your baby through effects on the sperm.

Who can I talk to if I have questions?

If you have any questions about 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.