Can you take calcitriol 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.
Calcitriol is the normal physiologically active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Several women with hypocalcemia have successfully breastfed during breastfeeding, with sometimes fluctuating serum calcium levels. Limited data indicate that its use in nursing mothers in appropriately adjusted doses does not affect the breastfed infant. If the mother requires calcitriol, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. Calcitriol and calcium dosage requirements are usually reduced during lactation in women with hypoparathyroidism and failure to reduce doses can lead to hypercalcemia.
Quoted from Calcitriol — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised September 15, 2025.
How much calcitriol 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
A woman with hypoparathyroidism breastfed her infant from week 1 to week 32 postpartum while taking calcitriol. The dose was initially 0.5 mcg daily, but was decreased to 0.25 mcg daily after 8 weeks. The infant thrived during breastfeeding and had normal serum calcium levels at 1 and 3 weeks and 3 months of age.
A woman breastfed infants after two pregnancies while taking calcitriol in doses of 0.75 and 1 mcg daily. There were no reports of adverse reactions.
A woman breastfed her newborn infant for 9 days while taking calcitriol 0.5 mcg three times daily. Calcitriol was stopped at that time because of hypercalcemia, but restarted at 40 days postpartum in low doses that were gradually increased until the prepregnancy dosage of 1.5 mcg daily was reached just before weaning at 12.5 months postpartum.
A woman with discoid lupus was taking calcitriol 0.25 mcg every 2 days and several other medications concurrently. Her infant was breastfed for 12 months and followed up at 15 months of age. No adverse effects were reported during breastfeeding and the infant was growing and developing normally at 15 months of age.
A nursing mother with autosomal dominant hypoparathyroidism type 1 was treated with teriparatide for 8 months postpartum then calcitriol 0.5 mcg twice daily was substituted. She breastfed her infant exclusively for 6 months then with supplementation to 1 year. Her infant had no change in serum calcium when maternal calcitriol was begun. The mother began weaning at 11 months and at 1 year of age weaning was complete. Growth and development were normal at 1.5 years of age.
A mother had a total parathyroidectomy after noticing neck swelling during pregnancy. After the surgery she experienced symptoms of hypocalcemia. She was started on elemental calcium 4 grams daily and calcitriol 0.5 mcg twice a day, which resolved her symptoms. She began breastfeeding and one week after discharge, she had a serum calcium of 12.4 mg/dL. Calcium supplementation was stopped and her serum calcium normalized.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take calcitriol while breastfeeding?
Calcitriol is the normal physiologically active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. 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 calcitriol pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for calcitriol are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking calcitriol?
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 calcitriol
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.