Healthy pregnancy hub

Insulin Aspart (NovoRapid®)

Last Update: 08 Apr 2025

Welcome to our fact sheet on Insulin Aspart (NovoRapid®) during pregnancy and breastfeeding/ chestfeeding. This information is based on available published literature. It should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider.

The HEALTHY PREGNANCY HUB team is collaborating with MotherToBaby to share information on this topic. The original version is available here (updated on April 2024).

Serene, our chatbot, can also answer your questions about medications during pregnancy.

Please note that this fact sheet is based on United States information and has been adapted for Canada, with a review by our Canadian experts. Minor differences may exist between the two countries. Always consult your healthcare professional for information tailored to your situation.

1. What is insulin aspart?

Insulin aspart is a medication that has been used to control blood sugar in type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. It is an artificial form of insulin that works by replacing insulin that would usually be made by the body. Some brand names are NovoLog®, NovoLog FlexPen®, NovoPen Echo®, NovoLog FlexTouch®, and Fiasp®. In Canada, some examples of names include NovoRapid ® and Trurapi ®. 

Sometimes when people find out they are pregnant, they think about changing how they take their medication, or stopping their medication altogether. However, it is important to talk with your healthcare providers before making any changes to how you take your medication. Your healthcare providers can talk with you about the benefits of treating your condition and the risks of untreated illness during pregnancy. 

Individuals who are using insulin to manage their diabetes might need to adjust the amount of medication they take as the pregnancy goes on. Having diabetes that is uncontrolled or not well-controlled in pregnancy can increase the chance of miscarriage, birth defects, pregnancy complications, and stillbirth. MotherToBaby has a fact sheet on type 1 and type 2 diabetes here and gestational diabetes here. 

2. What are the risks according to research?

I take insulin aspart. Can it make it harder for me to get pregnant?

It is not known if insulin aspart can make it harder to get pregnant. 

Does taking insulin aspart increase the chance of miscarriage?

Miscarriage is common and can occur in any pregnancy for many different reasons. Based on 437 reports of individuals taking insulin aspart before or during pregnancy, it is not expected that insulin aspart will increase the chance of miscarriage. 

Does taking insulin aspart increase the chance of birth defects?

Every pregnancy starts out with a 3-5% chance of having a birth defect. This is called the background risk. Insulin aspart is not expected to increase the chance of birth defects above the background risk. In the 437 reports of individuals taking insulin aspart before or during pregnancy, no increase in birth defects was reported. In small studies of pregnant individuals who had type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, there were no differences seen between using human insulin and insulin aspart to treat their condition. 

Does taking insulin aspart in pregnancy increase the chance of other pregnancy-related problems? 

No increased chance of pregnancy-related problems, such as preterm delivery (birth before week 37) or low birth weight (weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces [2500 grams] at birth) was reported in 437 pregnancies exposed to insulin aspart. 

Does taking insulin aspart in pregnancy affect future behavior or learning for the child?

It is not known if insulin aspart increases the chance for behavior or learning issues. 

3. Breastfeeding/ chestfeeding while taking insulin aspart

Insulin aspart gets into breastmilk/ chestmilk and using it while breastfeeding/ chestfeeding is not expected to increase risks for the nursing infant. Insulin is a normal part of breastmilk/ chestmilk and exposure to normal levels of the hormone may help lower the chance of type 1 diabetes in infants. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about all your breastfeeding/ chestfeeding questions. 

4. Fathers and sperm donors

If a male takes insulin aspart, could it affect fertility or increase the chance of birth defects?

Studies have not been done to see if insulin aspart could affect a male’s fertility (ability to get a partner pregnant) or increase the chance of birth defects above the background risk. In general, exposures that men have are unlikely to increase risks to a pregnancy. For more information, please see the MotherToBaby fact sheet on Paternal Exposures here. 

Key points

  • Insulin aspart is used to lower blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
  • Insulin aspart is a synthetic form of insulin that replaces the insulin naturally produced by the body.
  • According to studies, insulin aspart does not increase the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, preterm birth, or low birth weight when taken at recommended doses.
  • Insulin aspart passes into breastmilk/ chestmilk, but its use during breastfeeding/ chestfeeding does not pose a risk to the baby.
  • Always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment.

References

Please click here for references. 

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Disclaimer

HEALTHY PREGNANCY HUB provides a source of information validated by health professionals; however, this information is provided for informational purposes only and should not replace professional advice. Medical standards and practices evolve as new data becomes available, so it is imperative to consult your doctor or a qualified health professional for any questions or concerns regarding your health without delay or omission. It is the responsibility of your treating physician or any other health professional, based on their independent experience and knowledge of the patient, to determine the best way to evaluate and treat you.

HEALTHY PREGNANCY HUB does not specifically recommend or endorse any test, practitioner, treatment, product, or opinion mentioned on our platform. HEALTHY PREGNANCY HUB also does not replace the individual patient assessment based on the examination by the healthcare provider of each patient and the consideration of laboratory data and other patient-specific factors.

The use of the information available on our site is at your own risk. No person involved in the creation, production, promotion, or marketing of HEALTHY PREGNANCY HUB guarantees or represents, expressly or implicitly, anything regarding the information available on the platform, which is provided “as it is”. All warranties are expressly excluded and disclaimed, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, as well as any warranties arising by law or otherwise in law or from trade or usage. Any statements or representations made by any other person or entity are void.

While consulting symptoms or other medical information on our platform may guide your discussions with your healthcare professional, this information should not be used to make a medical diagnosis or determine treatment. Before making changes to your supplement or medication regimen, please discuss with your medical team or contact 811 (Canada) to ensure the relevance of these changes to your individual situation.

Credits
MotherToBaby
Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS)
View source
Émy Roberge
Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine
Anne-Sophie Otis
Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Justine

Associated Fact Sheets

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Associated Resources

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