PREGNANCY and LYME
Updated: Oct 24
I know this is a touchy subject, but we get asked about it often, so I feel it's my responsibility to gather what we've found so far in one place. I hope this saves you time if you want to research it.
I've seen many people with Lyme go on to have healthy, thriving babies. There is real reason for hope.
I definitely recommend being under the care of a Lyme literate doctor before, during and after pregnancy.
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
THE HOPEFUL NEWS
-Treatment makes a big difference. LymeDisease.org shared 2021 guidance noting that problems in pregnancy happened in about 11 to 16% of women who were treated for Lyme, compared with about 50 to 60% of women who were not treated.
-Dr. Marty Ross shares that, based on a review of small studies, the risk of passing Lyme to the baby appears to be close to zero when antibiotics are taken throughout the pregnancy. He cautions that so few pregnancies have been studied that the true rate could be higher or lower.
-Dr. Richard Horowitz and Phyllis Freeman published a case report about one mother treated at his medical center through four pregnancies. They reported that her treatment helped prevent passing Lyme and Babesia to her babies.
-Dr. Ross also shares his belief that most people with a Lyme infection, children or adults, do not go on to develop Lyme disease.
PLANNING AHEAD
-Dr. Jennifer Sugden, ND, of Gordon Medical, shares that ideally, women with Lyme begin getting ready 6 to 9 months before trying to conceive, and some may need as long as 18 months.
-Global Lyme Alliance shares that finding and treating Lyme quickly during pregnancy is very important.
CAN LYME PASS TO THE BABY?
-A 2026 paper whose authors include Tulane's Dr. Monica Embers and Bay Area Lyme Foundation's Dr. Charlotte Mao reviewed the evidence and concluded that Lyme bacteria are able to pass from mother to baby during pregnancy. The authors say this is still not studied enough, and that more research is needed to learn how often it happens.
-In a 2022 survey of 691 people, pregnancies without Lyme had the fewest problems. Babies whose mothers were treated had fewer rashes, less low muscle tone and fewer breathing problems than babies of untreated mothers. These were links people reported, not proof.
-A 2026 case report from the University of Minnesota found Lyme bacteria in a stored placenta, even though standard Lyme blood tests had not come back positive.
-Global Lyme Alliance shares that passing Lyme to the baby is rare, but possible.
TREATMENT DURING PREGNANCY
-LymeDisease.org's 2021 guidance shares that amoxicillin is the preferred antibiotic in pregnancy when there are no nerve symptoms. Cefuroxime is another option, and stronger IV treatment may be used for serious nerve or heart symptoms.
-LymeDisease.org and Global Lyme Alliance both note that doxycycline is usually avoided during pregnancy.
-Dr. Ross shares that he uses amoxicillin, cefuroxime, cefdinir or azithromycin in pregnancy, and that when there may be a risk of Bartonella he uses azithromycin, alone or with one of the others. In his opinion and experience, these are safe for mother and baby.
-Every Lyme doctor has their own approach. What you use is between you and your doctor.
AFTER THE BABY ARRIVES
-In his experience, Dr. Ross shares that many women feel better during pregnancy, but most have more Lyme symptoms after delivery, from the infection plus the demands of caring for a newborn. Be gentle with yourself and lean on your support system.
-Dr. Sugden recommends watching the mother's health closely for 3 to 6 months after birth, and keeping an eye on the baby's development.
-Breastfeeding: Global Lyme Alliance shares that amoxicillin is considered safe while breastfeeding, and cefuroxime is also considered safe. Talk with your doctor about what is right for you.
-Dr. Ross usually doesn't test healthy children whose mothers had Lyme. If a child has symptoms and the mother had Lyme during pregnancy, he feels testing should be done, and he makes sure another health problem isn't causing the symptoms before starting treatment.
BABESIA AND BARTONELLA
-Babesia: As of 2021, 13 cases of babies born with Babesia microti passed on from their mothers had been reported. LymeDisease.org's 2021 guidance recommends treating Babesia during pregnancy because it may pass to the baby.
-Bartonella: A 2025 letter in a medical journal described a few cases suggesting Bartonella may pass from mother to baby, but this hasn't been proven.
HELP FOR FAMILIES
-LymeLight Foundation offers treatment grants for children and young adults with Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
-LymeDisease.org shared what patients most want researched about Lyme and pregnancy: how it spreads, testing, treatment, how it shows up, and better education for doctors.
-LymeDisease.org also shared early research, including a mouse study and patient data, linking Lyme with gynecological health problems in women. The researchers say more study is needed.
RELATED POSTS
Transmission of Lyme, Babesia and Bartonella
Lyme Literate Doctors
Parents of Children with Lyme: Signs That Look Like Depression, Anxiety or ADHD
Hormone Effects in Lyme
SOURCES
Bay Area Lyme Foundation - New peer-reviewed publication highlights evidence of mother-to-child transmission of Lyme disease bacteria during pregnancy (April 2026)
University of Minnesota Medical School - Advanced molecular and microscopic diagnostics suggest congenital Borrelia transmission: a case report (April 2026)
Dr. Marty Ross - Lyme and pregnancy: will my baby get it; what about my health? (updated June 2026)
Dr. Jennifer Sugden, ND, and Yvonne Sorenson, PA-C, Gordon Medical - Navigating pregnancy with Lyme disease: a guide to pre and post-birth care (updated July 2026)
LymeDisease.org - Lyme disease increases gynecological health risks in women (March 2025)
Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo - Bartonellas: could they cause reproductive disorders in humans?, letter to the editor (March 2025)
LymeDisease.org - Patient priorities regarding maternal-fetal Lyme research (February 2024)
Global Lyme Alliance - Lyme disease during pregnancy: protecting mothers and babies (April 2023)
Frontiers in Medicine - Lyme borreliosis in pregnancy and associations with parent and offspring health outcomes: an international cross-sectional survey (November 2022)
LymeDisease.org - LymeLight Foundation sharpens its focus on congenital Lyme disease (September 2022)
LymeDisease.org - New guidance for treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in pregnancy (October 2021, older source, still worth reading)
Parasites and Vectors - Babesia microti and pregnancy, mouse study (March 2021, older source, still worth reading)
Dr. Richard Horowitz and Phyllis Freeman - Healthy fetal outcomes using a novel treatment for maternal Lyme disease and babesiosis during consecutive pregnancies: a case study and literature review, Archives of Medical Case Reports (January 2020, older source, still worth reading)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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