Can you take clofazimine 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.
Limited information indicates that clofazimine appears in milk in relatively large amounts. Human milk enhances the solubilization and possibly the absorption of clofazimine in infants. Milk can be colored pink to red by the drug and breastfed infant's skin can be discolored the typical red color that is common in persons taking the drug. No serious or permanent toxicity has been reported in breastfed infants; however, an alternate drug might be considered.
Quoted from Clofazimine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised February 15, 2025.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of clofazimine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much clofazimine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Eight women with leprosy who had been breastfeeding for 4 months or less had been receiving clofazimine either 50 mg daily (n = 5), 100 mg every other day (n = 2) or 100 mg daily (n = 1) for an average of 5 months. Milk levels collected 4 to 6 hours after the dose averaged 1.33 mg/L (range 0.8 to 1.7 mg/L). Infants received an average of 0.199 mg/kg daily (range 0.17 to 0.26 mg/kg daily) which averaged 22.1% (range 13.5 to 30%) of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Probable cases of skin discoloration in breastfed infants whose mothers were taking clofazimine have been reported. In one infant, red skin color was reported. In another (exact maternal dosage not stated, but in the range of 100 to 300 mg daily), the infant's skin color was reported as ruddy and slightly hypermelanotic; this infant's skin color returned to normal 5 months after the end of maternal therapy.
Clofazimine was used as part of a six-drug regimen to treat a pregnant woman with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis during the first trimester of pregnancy and postpartum. The infant was breastfed (extent and duration not stated). At age 1.8 years, the child had failure to thrive, possibly due to tuberculosis contracted after birth, but was otherwise developing normally. The child also had bronze coloration of the skin color which faded over time.
A woman with leprosy took clofazimine, dapsone and rifampin during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Her infant developed skin discoloration attributed to clofazimine which reversed 3 months after cessation of breastfeeding.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take clofazimine while breastfeeding?
Limited information indicates that clofazimine appears in milk in relatively large amounts. 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 clofazimine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Dapsone, Nitazoxanide, Paromomycin 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 clofazimine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for clofazimine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking clofazimine?
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 clofazimine
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.