Can you take asenapine 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.
No information is available on the use of asenapine during breastfeeding. If asenapine is required by the mother, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. However, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
Quoted from Asenapine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised March 15, 2025.
How much asenapine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Patients enlisted in the National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics who were taking a second-generation antipsychotic drug while breastfeeding (n = 576) were compared to control breastfeeding patients who were not treated with a second-generation antipsychotic (n = 818). Of the patients who were taking a second-generation antipsychotic drug, 60.4% were on more than one psychotropic. A review of the pediatric medical records, no adverse effects were noted among infants exposed or not exposed to second-generation antipsychotic monotherapy or to polytherapy. The number of women taking asenapine was not reported.
Effects on milk supply
Galactorrhea has been reported with asenapine according to the manufacturer. Hyperprolactinemia appears to be the cause of the galactorrhea. The hyperprolactinemia is caused by the drug's dopamine-blocking action in the tuberoinfundibular pathway. The maternal prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Patients enlisted in the National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics who were taking a second-generation antipsychotic drug while breastfeeding (n = 576) were compared to control breastfeeding patients who had primarily diagnoses of major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders, most often treated with SSRI or SNRI antidepressants, but not with a second-generation antipsychotic (n = 818). Among women on a second-generation antipsychotic, 60.4% were on more than one psychotropic compared with 24.4% among women in the control group. Of the women on a second-generation antipsychotic, 59.3% reported “ever breastfeeding” compared to 88.2% of women in the control group. At 3 months postpartum, 23% of women on a second-generation antipsychotic were exclusively breastfeeding compared to 47% of women in the control group. The number of women taking asenapine was not reported.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take asenapine while breastfeeding?
No information is available on the use of asenapine during breastfeeding. 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.
Does asenapine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for asenapine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking asenapine?
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 asenapine
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.