Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility while taking nortriptyline

Nortriptyline and pregnancy

You may be advised to continue taking nortriptyline during pregnancy, especially if you take it to treat depression.

Speak to your doctor if you become pregnant while taking nortriptyline. Do not stop taking your medicine unless your doctor tells you to.

Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of taking nortriptyline and will help you choose the best treatment for you and your baby.

Nortriptyline and breastfeeding

If your baby is healthy, you can take nortriptyline if you're breastfeeding. Always check with a pharmacist or doctor first.

Nortriptyline passes into breast milk in very small amounts. It has not been known to cause any side effects in breastfed babies.

If you're being treated for depression it's important to continue taking nortriptyline to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby.

It's very rare for breastfed babies to have side effects from medicines you're taking. But it's important to keep monitoring your baby if you're taking any medicine while breastfeeding.

Contact your healthcare professional or call 111 as soon as possible if you you notice that your baby, is:

• being more sleepy than usual
• not feeding as normal, or not waking to feed
• not putting on weight as they should
• being irritable
• having constipation, or peeing less

If your baby has any symptoms that are not listed, or if you're worried about them, you can also call 111 or contact any healthcare professional.

Carry on taking the medicine, and keep breastfeeding as usual until you've got advice about your baby's symptoms

It's important not to share a bed with your baby while you're taking nortriptyline because it can cause drowsiness. This is to reduce the risk of sudden death syndrome (SIDS).

If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, or seems unusually sleepy, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, then talk to your health visitor or doctor as soon as possible.

Find out  more about SIDS.

Nortriptyline and fertility

There's no clear evidence to suggest that nortriptyline affects fertility in either men or women.

However, speak to your doctor or a pharmacist before taking nortriptyline if you're trying to get pregnant.