Remdesivir and pregnancy
Remdesivir is not generally given in pregnancy because little is known about its effects on the baby.
If you are contacted and offered remdesivir, let them know that you are pregnant. You will need to discuss the risks and benefits of taking remdesivir with your doctor.
If there is a possibility that you could become pregnant while having remdesivir, it's important to use effective contraception for the full 3 days of treatment.
If you're pregnant, it's important you have the COVID-19 vaccine to help prevent the risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Contact your doctor if you become pregnant while taking remdesivir, or shortly after, and report it to the UK COVID-19 Antivirals in Pregnancy Registry by phoning 0344 892 0909, or ask your doctor to do this for you.
Remdesivir and breastfeeding
If your doctor, midwife or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can have remdesivir while breastfeeding.
We do not know how much remdesivir gets into breast milk but it's likely to be a very small amount and your baby will not absorb a lot into their body from the breast milk. A short course is unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby.
Talk to your health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if:
- your baby is not feeding as well as normal
- your baby has sickness or diarrhoea
- your baby has a skin rash
- your baby seems to bruise or bleeds very easily
- you have any other concerns about your baby
If your baby is healthy, you can carry on breastfeeding.
Remdesivir and fertility
It's not known whether having remdesivir will affect fertility in either men or women.
Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you're:
- trying to get pregnant
- pregnant
- breastfeeding