Can you take cefoperazone 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.
Cefoperazone is no longer marketed in the United States. Limited information indicates cefoperazone produces low levels in milk that are not expected to cause adverse effects in breastfed infants. Occasionally disruption of the infant's gastrointestinal flora, resulting in diarrhea or thrush have been reported with cephalosporins, but these effects have not been adequately evaluated. Cefoperazone is acceptable in nursing mothers.
Quoted from Cefoperazone — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised September 15, 2023.
How much cefoperazone gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. After 1 gram of cefoperazone intravenously in 5 women, it was undetectable in milk in 2 women at any time up to 6 hours after the dose. The average peak milk levels of 0.33 mg/L occurred 2 hours after the dose, but in individuals, peak levels occurred 2, 3 or 4 hours after the dose.
After 1 gram of cefoperazone given intravenously in 2 women, milk cefoperazone was 0.1 mg/L at 2 hours and 0.3 mg/L 3 hours after the dose. It was undetectable in milk 1 and 6 hours after the dose.
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 cefoperazone while breastfeeding?
Cefoperazone is no longer marketed in the United States. 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 cefoperazone pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for cefoperazone are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking cefoperazone?
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 cefoperazone
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.