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Are digestive enzymes safe during pregnancy?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

No official source covers digestive enzyme supplements in pregnancy as a group. NCCIH says little is known about bromelain in pregnancy, and the label for prescription pancrelipase says published case reports have not identified a drug-associated risk, with minimal absorption into the body. Ask your doctor before using any enzyme product while pregnant.1,2

Key facts

  • NCCIH says little is known about whether bromelain, the enzyme from pineapple, is safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.1
  • The label for prescription pancrelipase says published case reports in pregnant women have not identified a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or other adverse outcomes, and that animal reproduction studies have not been conducted.2
  • The same label says pancrelipase is minimally absorbed into the body, so maternal use is not expected to expose the fetus to the drug.2
  • Enzyme supplements are blends of different enzymes from molds, pineapple, papaya and other sources, and their strength is stated in activity units rather than in milligrams.1,3
  • LactMed records that allergic reactions to papaya are not uncommon, and that papaya can cross-react with latex and kiwi.4

What do official sources say about enzymes in pregnancy?

The official record is patchy, because it covers single enzymes and not the blends sold as supplements. NCCIH's page on bromelain, the group of protein-cutting enzymes from pineapple, says little is known about its safety during pregnancy. The agency's page makes no other statement about pregnancy.1

The closest statement about an enzyme product is the label for prescription pancrelipase, a mix of lipase, protease and amylase made from pig pancreas. It says case reports in pregnant women have not identified a risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes, that the drug is minimally absorbed, and that animal reproduction studies were not done. It also says the background risk of birth defects and miscarriage is unknown for the people it is prescribed to.2

Pancrelipase is a prescription medicine: a mix of lipases, proteases and amylases extracted from pig pancreas. Its delayed-release capsules hold coated beads that release the enzymes in the intestine rather than the stomach.2,5

Does the prescription label answer the question about supplements?

Only in part. Pancrelipase is a medicine prescribed for people whose pancreas does not make enough enzymes, at doses a doctor sets. A supplement blend may use different enzymes, from molds or plants, at strengths measured in other units. A statement on one label does not carry over to a blend, and the label is about a drug, not about supplements.2,3

Enzyme strength is stated in activity units: HUT for protease, FCC units for lactase and GalU for alpha-galactosidase. Enzyme preparations are blended with fillers such as maltodextrin and standardized to an activity, so their weight in milligrams does not show their strength.3,6,7

Many supplement enzymes are made by molds of the Aspergillus family. The protease blend in one trial came from Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus melleus, and lactase tablets are commonly made with Aspergillus niger.3,8

What about papaya and pineapple enzymes?

Papain and chymopapain come from unripe papaya, and bromelain comes from pineapple. LactMed, the NIH database on breastfeeding, has an entry for papaya, but it covers lactation and not pregnancy, and we found no official source on papain in pregnancy. It does record that allergic reactions to papaya are not uncommon and that people can cross-react with latex and kiwi.4,9

Papain is among papaya's most allergenic proteins, and people with latex allergy can react severely to papaya. Cross-reactions between papaya, latex and kiwi have occurred.9,10

Who should ask their doctor before using an enzyme supplement while pregnant?

  • Anyone who is pregnant should ask their doctor before starting any enzyme product, because the sources cover only a few enzymes and none covers blends.
  • Anyone with a latex allergy, or who has reacted to papaya, pineapple or kiwi, should ask their doctor, because papain and bromelain are plant enzymes and cross-reactions are documented.4,9
  • Anyone with ongoing pain, weight loss, fatty stools or blood in the stool should ask their doctor for a diagnosis, because these symptoms need one.
  • Anyone who takes a blood thinner or any other medicine can ask their pharmacist whether an enzyme product matters, because NCCIH advises anyone who takes medicine to talk with a provider before using bromelain.1

Questions people ask

Is digestive enzymes safe during pregnancy?

No official source covers digestive enzyme supplements in pregnancy as a group. NCCIH says little is known about bromelain, so ask your doctor before using one.1

Are papaya digestive enzymes safe for pregnancy?

We found no official source on papain in pregnancy. LactMed covers papaya during breastfeeding only, and records that papaya allergy is not uncommon. Ask your doctor.4

Are digestive enzymes ok during pregnancy if they come from a prescription?

The label for prescription pancrelipase says published case reports have not identified a drug-associated risk, and that it is minimally absorbed. That is a statement about the medicine, so ask your doctor about yours.2

Is a branded digestive enzyme blend ok for pregnancy?

The sources speak to single enzymes, not to brands or blends. Ask your pharmacist to look at the whole ingredient list, including any bromelain or papain.1

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Sources

  1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Bromelain. Last updated November 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. Pancrelipase delayed-release capsules: prescribing information (AbbVie). DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Published July 24, 2026. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Paulussen KJM, Askow AT, Deutz MT, et al. Acute Microbial Protease Supplementation Increases Net Postprandial Plasma Amino Acid Concentrations After Pea Protein Ingestion in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Nutr. 2024;154(5):1549-1560. Opened 2026-10-01.
  4. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Papaya. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006 onward. Entry revised January 15, 2025. Opened 2026-10-11.
  5. MedlinePlus. Pancrelipase. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Last revised August 20, 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  6. European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. Official Journal of the European Union. 2012;L 136:1. Opened 2026-10-01.
  7. Di Stefano M, Miceli E, Gotti S, et al. The effect of oral alpha-galactosidase on intestinal gas production and gas-related symptoms. Dig Dis Sci. 2007;52(1):78-83. Opened 2026-10-01.
  8. Voisin MR, Borici-Mazi R. Anaphylaxis to supplemental oral lactase enzyme. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2016;12:66. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. Rojas-Mandujano V, González-Juárez K, Hernández-Fernández C, et al. Latex-papaya syndrome: an infrequent association. Rev Alerg Mex. 2018;65(1):3-9. Opened 2026-10-01.
  10. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Papaya. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; updated January 15, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.