Is Clindamycin safe during pregnancy?
Prescription topical antibiotic considered safe for acne in pregnancy. While breastfeeding, avoid applying it to the breast.
What the sources say
AAD says applying clindamycin to skin during pregnancy is thought to be safe (check with your doctor), and a family-medicine review recommends it with benzoyl peroxide for inflammatory acne. LactMed: infant side effects are unlikely with topical acne use, but applying it to the breast could cause diarrhea if the baby ingests it; use only water-based products on the breast. Some combination gels also contain tretinoin, which is avoided in pregnancy.
Common alternatives
Also listed as
acanya, benzaclin, cleocin t, clindagel, clindamycin phosphate, duac, evoclin, onexton
Sources
- AAD: Is any acne treatment safe to use during pregnancy?
- NIH PubMed (peer-reviewed review): Treatment of Acne in Pregnancy (J Am Board Fam Med, 2016)
- NIH LactMed: Clindamycin - Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed)
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.