Can you take artemether and lumefantrine while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Artemether and lumefantrine have not been studied in nursing mothers. Estimates of its excretion into breastmilk indicate that amounts in milk are much lower than the dose approved for use in African countries in young infants <5 kg (5 mg artemether plus 60 mg lumefantrine daily). If a mother requires artemether and lumefantrine, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. Tablets can be crushed and administered in breastmilk to enhance absorption in small infants.
Quoted from Artemether and Lumefantrine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2025.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of artemether and lumefantrine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
- Atovaquone and Proguanil
- Chloroquine
- Mefloquine
How much artemether and lumefantrine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. The excretion of artemether and lumefantrine in breastmilk was estimated from average maximum serum concentrations after a standard 6-dose regimen of artemether 40 mg and lumefantrine 240 mg daily, assuming a M/P ratio of 1.04 for artemether and 1.3 for lumefantrine. The authors estimated that a fully breastfed infant would receive 0.03 mg daily of artemether or less than 0.4% of the recommended dose for a 5 kg infant, and 5 mg daily of lumefantrine or less than 10% of the recommended dose for a 5 kg infant.
A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model of the active artemether metabolite, dihydroartemesin, estimated that it has an RID of 0.2%.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take artemether and lumefantrine while breastfeeding?
Artemether and lumefantrine have not been studied in nursing mothers. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What can I take instead of artemether and lumefantrine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Atovaquone and Proguanil, Chloroquine, Mefloquine as alternate drugs to consider. That is the database's own list for this drug — whether any of them suits you depends on what you are treating.
Does artemether and lumefantrine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for artemether and lumefantrine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking artemether and lumefantrine?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on artemether and lumefantrine
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.