Is mouth taping safe during pregnancy?

Talk to your midwife or doctor before you use mouth tape while pregnant. Nobody has studied mouth taping in pregnancy, and several common pregnancy changes, including a stuffy nose, nausea and snoring, are exactly the situations where tape isn't a good idea. That doesn't make tape off-limits for every pregnant person, but it does make it a decision to make with the people looking after you.

What does the research say about mouth taping in pregnancy?

There isn't any research on mouth taping in pregnancy yet. A 2026 narrative review in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, written by maternal-fetal medicine specialists at the University of Minnesota, looked at nasal breathing in pregnancy and the approaches used to support it. Its conclusion on tape was plain: mouth taping remains investigational because pregnancy-specific safety and efficacy data are absent.

The same review is positive about nasal breathing itself. The authors describe how it conditions the air you breathe in and delivers nitric oxide made in the sinuses, and they argue it's an overlooked part of maternal health. So the interest in nose breathing during pregnancy is well founded. It's the tape that hasn't been tested.

Why does pregnancy make your nose stuffy?

Many pregnant people find their nose blocks up for weeks at a time without a cold or allergy to explain it. This is called pregnancy rhinitis.

Cleveland Clinic explains that in some people, higher hormone levels such as estrogen cause blood vessels in the nose to widen and produce more mucus, which can make it hard to breathe. It usually happens later in pregnancy, congestion tends to be worse at night, and it should get better within two weeks of giving birth. A 2025 review in Life puts estimates of how many pregnant women have it anywhere from 9% to 39%, depending on how it's defined.

Pregnancy rhinitis is a separate thing from a cold, an allergy or a sinus infection, and Cleveland Clinic says a provider usually diagnoses it when your nose has been stuffy or runny for several weeks and none of those explain it. If your congestion is bothering you, Cleveland Clinic suggests talking to your pregnancy care provider, who can check for other causes such as allergies.

This matters for tape because a nose that blocks at night is the main thing to avoid. Sleep Foundation lists anyone with nasal congestion or blockage among the people who shouldn't use mouth tape, because nasal breathing may not be possible.

What about nausea and heartburn?

Nausea and heartburn are the other reasons to be careful. The NHS says morning sickness can affect you at any time of the day or night, and that it usually clears up by weeks 16 to 20. It also says heartburn is common in pregnancy, more so from 12 weeks onwards, and that symptoms can include being sick or bringing up food.

Sleep Foundation lists anyone at risk of vomiting during sleep among the people who shouldn't tape, because taping the mouth may prevent safe expulsion. So on any night you feel queasy or your heartburn is bad, leave the tape off. Our guide to mouth tape and acid reflux or nausea covers this in more detail.

Why should you mention snoring in pregnancy?

Snoring in pregnancy is worth mentioning because it's more than a noise problem. A 2022 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine notes that habitual snoring affects about a third of pregnant women at some point in their pregnancy. The 2025 Life review cites figures showing habitual snoring roughly doubling from 7 to 11% in the first trimester to 16 to 25% in the third.

That review links pregnancy rhinitis to poorer sleep, more snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and describes sleep apnea in pregnancy as a potential risk factor for high blood pressure, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. The 2026 review makes a similar link between nasal blockage, snoring and sleep-disordered breathing in pregnancy.

Mouth tape doesn't treat sleep apnea, and quieter snoring with tape on could hide something your care team should know about. If you've started snoring, or your partner has noticed pauses in your breathing, tell your midwife or doctor. Our guide to snoring during pregnancy has more.

What helps a stuffy nose in pregnancy?

There are several options to discuss with your midwife, doctor or pharmacist. Cleveland Clinic lists:

• saline nasal rinses, using a neti pot or rinse bottle
• corticosteroid nasal sprays (Cleveland Clinic says most nasal sprays are safe to use during pregnancy)
• sleeping slightly upright, drinking plenty of water and exercising, with your provider's advice on how much

Cleveland Clinic also cautions that decongestant sprays can cause rebound congestion if used for more than a few days, and says to ask your provider before taking oral decongestants in pregnancy. Our guide on how to use a saline rinse walks through the basics.

Nasal strips are another option some people try. They don't close your mouth, so they don't carry the risks of tape. The 2026 review says external nasal dilators improve nasal patency and symptoms in pregnancy, though they haven't been shown to prevent or treat pregnancy-related sleep breathing problems, and a 2022 trial of 54 pregnant women who snored found strips didn't change measures of sleep-disordered breathing. Our guide to nasal strips during pregnancy covers the research.

When might mouth tape be OK in pregnancy?

Whether mouth tape is OK in pregnancy is a conversation for your care team, and the answer may change as your pregnancy goes on. Some questions to bring:

1. Is there any reason, given my health and this pregnancy, not to try mouth tape?
2. Is my snoring, or any new snoring, worth checking for sleep apnea?
3. What's safe for me to use for a blocked nose?
4. Should I stop if my heartburn or sickness gets worse?

Write down anything you've noticed at night, such as waking with a dry mouth, a partner mentioning loud snoring, or waking up gasping. It gives your midwife or doctor something concrete to go on.

If they're comfortable with it, the usual precautions matter even more. Only tape on nights your nose feels clear when you do the two-minute nose test. Use a small strip of tape made for skin, fold over a corner so you can grab it, and leave it off whenever you feel sick or congested. Our guide on how to start mouth taping covers the rest.

Pregnancy rhinitis usually clears within two weeks of giving birth, according to Cleveland Clinic, so if your nose is the problem, you may find tape easier again after your baby arrives.

Read next

• Nasal strips during pregnancy
• Is mouth taping safe? Who should try it and who shouldn't
• Is mouth taping safe for me?, our short checklist

* This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your health.