Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility while taking zolpidem

Zolpidem is not usually recommended in pregnancy because little is known about its effect on the baby.

If you become pregnant while taking zolpidem, speak to your doctor. They will help you decide what to do and may switch you to a medicine that is more suitable for pregnancy.

Zolpidem may cause drowsiness or withdrawal symptoms such as agitation in newborn babies. Taking zolpidem at the end of pregnancy increases the chances of your baby having these problems. Your baby may need to stay in hospital for extra monitoring for a few days after they're born.

If you're having problems sleeping, it's best to try some practical steps to help you sleep first. You can also talk to your doctor or pharmacist as there may be other ways of improving sleep without taking zolpidem.

But if your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take zolpidem while breastfeeding. It's better to only take occasional doses, and only for a short time. The side effects of taking zolpidem could make you feel too tired to breastfeed and look after your baby.

There is not much information about taking zolpidem while breastfeeding, but information shows that zolpidem passes into breast milk in very small amounts. There is a very small risk that it might make your baby sleepy too.

Do not share a bed with your baby if you're taking zolpidem.

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, talk to a health visitor, midwife, pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible.

There's no evidence to suggest that taking zolpidem will reduce fertility in either men or women.

Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you're trying to get pregnant. They may want to review your treatment.

Tell your doctor if you're:

• trying to get pregnant
• pregnant
• breastfeeding