Lexapro and Pregnancy: What the Label and Studies Say
Lexapro can be used in pregnancy when the benefit outweighs the risk, a decision made with your prescriber. Here is what the FDA label and UK guidance say, what large studies found and what people on Reddit report.
By withClaro Editorial · 2026-10-23 · 6 min read
Medical review pending. Written by the Claro editorial team from the FDA label and published studies.
Key takeaways The NHS says Lexapro can be used in pregnancy if needed; the FDA label weighs its risks against the risks of untreated depression. Published studies have not established a higher risk of major birth defects or miscarriage with escitalopram. Use late in pregnancy is linked to short-lived symptoms in some newborns and slightly more bleeding after birth; a link with a rare lung condition mostly faded after accounting for depression. In a study described in the FDA label, pregnant women who stopped their antidepressant relapsed more often than those who continued; on Reddit, 104 of 193 people stayed on Lexapro. On this page
What 193 people on Reddit did with Lexapro in pregnancy Is it safe to take Lexapro while pregnant? What if you took Lexapro in early pregnancy? What are the risks of Lexapro late in pregnancy? Should you stop Lexapro if you get pregnant? Can you breastfeed while taking Lexapro? What should you ask your prescriber about Lexapro and pregnancy? Lexapro (escitalopram) can be used during pregnancy when the benefit to you outweighs the possible risk to the baby. The FDA label says published studies have not established a higher risk of major birth defects or miscarriage, and that untreated depression in pregnancy carries its own risks. The NHS says your doctor will talk through the risks and benefits with you.
What 193 people on Reddit did with Lexapro in pregnancy
We read 99 recent threads on r/lexapro and pregnancy forums such as r/BabyBumps, comments included, and 256 people described their own experience with Lexapro around pregnancy. People with a strong experience are more likely to post, so treat this as a range of experiences, not a measure of risk. Of the 193 who said what they did, most stayed on Lexapro: 104.
What they did with Lexapro Of 193 people Stayed on it 104 Stopped or tapered off 38 Started it in pregnancy or after birth 30 Raised the dose 14 Lowered the dose 7
Of the 87 who said how they made the decision, 72 made it with a psychiatrist, obstetrician or midwife. Of the 17 who stopped and said how their mood went afterwards, 13 said it got worse; that is a very small group.
One person on r/pregnant wrote:
I’ve been on 20mg Lexapro for all of my pregnancy. I’m 40 weeks on Friday.
Another person stopped and changed course:
I took myself off thinking I’d be fine and could cope. Changed my mind around 10 weeks pregnant and asked my OB about going back on.
Is it safe to take Lexapro while pregnant?
Escitalopram is used in pregnancy when it is needed, and the published data have not established a higher risk of major birth defects or miscarriage. To compare: in any pregnancy, about 1 in 5 ends in miscarriage and 1 in 40 babies is born with a birth defect, whether or not medication is taken, according to Bumps. No antidepressant is free of risk in pregnancy, and neither is untreated depression; the Lexapro label sets out both.
The UK's Bumps service, run by the UK Teratology Information Service, says SSRIs can be used in pregnancy if your doctor recommends it and that the overall risk to you or your baby is low. It adds that no single SSRI is known to be better in pregnancy than the others, so the best option is usually the one that works for you.
What if you took Lexapro in early pregnancy?
Many people find out they are pregnant at 6 to 10 weeks, after taking Lexapro the whole time. Bumps says some studies suggested that SSRIs in early pregnancy may slightly raise the chance of heart defects, but most studies do not support this, and if there is any rise it is small. The data on miscarriage do not show that SSRIs cause it. Taking it so far is not a reason to panic or to stop overnight. Tell your prescriber and your midwife or obstetrician now. In the UK you will be offered the usual detailed scan at around 20 weeks; Bumps says no extra scans for birth defects are needed.
What are the risks of Lexapro late in pregnancy?
Three risks are linked to SSRIs taken late in pregnancy. The figures come from studies of SSRIs as a group, not of escitalopram alone. Some newborns have short-lived symptoms such as jitteriness, feeding problems or breathing trouble, which the label says can need extra care in hospital. Use in the month before delivery is linked to less than a twofold rise in heavy bleeding after birth, a risk for the mother. And there may be a small rise in persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), a rare lung condition.
PPHN occurs in about 10 to 20 of every 10,000 births in general. A 2015 US study of 3.8 million pregnancies among women on Medicaid looked at SSRIs in the last 90 days of pregnancy. Before accounting for depression and other factors, PPHN was about 31 per 10,000 exposed babies against 21 per 10,000 who were not exposed. After that adjustment the overall difference was no longer clear, though a small signal remained for one form of PPHN. Bumps gives a cautious figure of around 1 in 300 babies whose mother takes an SSRI, which is about 33 per 10,000.
The NHS says you will usually be advised to give birth in hospital so you and your baby can be monitored.
Should you stop Lexapro if you get pregnant?
Usually not without a plan. In a study of 201 pregnant women with a history of depression who were well on an antidepressant at the start of pregnancy, those who stopped relapsed more often than those who continued, the FDA label says. Do not stop suddenly on your own: stopping can also bring withdrawal symptoms, and Bumps asks people not to stop without first speaking to their doctor. The next step is to contact your prescriber soon, not at a routine visit months away, and to tell your midwife or obstetrician you take Lexapro. Your prescriber will weigh how severe your depression or anxiety has been, how you did when doses changed before and how far along you are. The clinical view:
If you become pregnant on an antidepressant, do not stop it suddenly, and talk to your prescriber soon.
Stopping suddenly risks withdrawal and relapse at a time when both are harder to manage. The decision weighs the risks of the medication against the risks of untreated depression or anxiety. Both affect parent and baby, and for many people continuing treatment is the safer choice.
Antidepressants differ in how much pregnancy data exists, which can shape the choice of medication. Ideally the plan is made before pregnancy, with your prescriber and obstetrician.
If you and your prescriber decide to come off Lexapro, what withdrawal can feel like is covered in Lexapro withdrawal symptoms .
Can you breastfeed while taking Lexapro?
Often yes. The NHS says escitalopram is sometimes used while breastfeeding, but it's best to check with your doctor, because it passes into breast milk. In a study of 8 nursing mothers on 10 to 20 mg a day, described in the label, exclusively breastfed babies received about 3.9% of the mother's dose, adjusted for weight.
The label notes reports of excessive sedation, restlessness, agitation, poor feeding and poor weight gain in some breastfed babies, and asks that babies be watched for these. If you notice any of them, contact your baby's doctor. The NHS says your doctor may suggest continuing escitalopram if the benefits outweigh any possible risks to your baby, or switching to a different antidepressant.
What should you ask your prescriber about Lexapro and pregnancy?
Ask your prescriber, ideally before you conceive, how they would weigh staying on Lexapro against stopping in your case. A plan made early, with your obstetrician involved, leaves time to adjust without rushing. It helps to ask:
What happened to your mood the last time your dose changed or you missed doses. Whether your current dose is the lowest that keeps you well. How the birth team will check your baby after delivery. Whether you can breastfeed on Lexapro, and what to watch for in the baby. Who to call if your mood drops during pregnancy or after the birth. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call your prescriber the same day. In the US, call or text 988, or find a crisis line near you .
Download on the App Store Decisions about Lexapro in pregnancy rest on how you are doing week to week. The withClaro app lets you log mood, energy, sleep and side effects each day, linked to your dose, and turns it into a report to share with your prescriber and obstetrician.
Frequently asked questions Can Lexapro cause birth defects? The FDA label says published studies have not established a higher risk of major birth defects with escitalopram. Ask your prescriber how this applies to you.
Can I take Lexapro while trying to get pregnant? Many people do, after planning with their prescriber. Bring how you did on past dose changes and how severe your symptoms have been, so you can settle the plan before conception.
Will my baby have withdrawal from Lexapro? Some babies exposed late in pregnancy have short-lived symptoms after birth. Tell the birth team you take Lexapro so they can watch for them.
Is Zoloft safer than Lexapro in pregnancy? Bumps says no single SSRI is known to be safer in pregnancy than the others. Ask your prescriber which fits you, and do not switch on your own.
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Sources LEXAPRO (escitalopram) prescribing information, US Food and Drug Administration via DailyMed, revised April 2024 NHS: Escitalopram Bumps, UK Teratology Information Service: Escitalopram in pregnancy, October 2026 Huybrechts et al., 2015, JAMA: Antidepressant use late in pregnancy and risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline r/pregnant: Lexapro and pregnancy r/BabyBumps: Antidepressants and pregnancy r/lexapro: getting off lexapro for pregnancy r/pregnant: Lexapro and newly pregnant r/BabyBumps: Weaning off SSRI r/lexapro: Pregnancy r/lexapro: Thinking to get pregnant on lexapro Claro articles are for self-monitoring and educational purposes only. They are not a medical device, therapist, or diagnostic tool, and do not replace care from your prescribing clinician. If you are in crisis, contact your care team, emergency services, the Samaritans (UK: 116 123), or the Crisis Text Line (US: text HOME to 741741).