Doctors prescribe Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA) to treat certain medical conditions, including migraine and overactive bladder. It’s not known whether it’s safe to receive Botox while pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you can become pregnant, it’s important to consider whether Botox is a safe option for you.
It isn’t known whether Botox is safe to receive during pregnancy. In animal studies, the drug caused fetal harm when experts gave it to pregnant animals. But animal studies don’t always predict what will happen in humans. At this time, experts haven’t studied the use of Botox during human pregnancy.
If you have questions about receiving this drug while you’re pregnant, talk with your doctor.
If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, it’s important to understand the effects that Botox could have on you or the breastfed child.
It’s not known whether Botox is safe to receive while breastfeeding. There are no specific studies on the presence of onabotulinumtoxinA in human breast milk.
Botox contains a protein called albumin, which is made from human blood. While there are no reports of infections from it yet, there’s still a tiny, theoretical chance that it could carry viruses. This might be something to consider while breastfeeding.
If you have questions about receiving this drug while you’re breastfeeding, talk with your doctor.
Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.