Can you take droperidol 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.
Because little information is available on the long-term use of droperidol during breastfeeding, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. Single-dose or short-term use during breastfeeding, such as during surgery, is unlikely to adversely affect the breastfed infant, especially if the infant is older than 2 months. When multiple doses are given to the mother, monitor the infant for drowsiness, especially in younger, exclusively breastfed infants and when using combinations of psychotropic drugs.
Quoted from Droperidol — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised October 15, 2024.
How much droperidol 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 randomized study compared the breastfed infants born by cesarean section whose mothers received either morphine or morphine plus droperidol by patient-controlled analgesia postoperatively. On days 1 and 2 of life, the infants whose mothers received droperidol had a lower neonatal neurologic and adaptive capacity score (NACS) than those who received morphine only.
One breastfed (extent not stated) infant whose mother was taking droperidol had a somewhat decreased intellectual development on testing, but her mother had also taken olanzapine, clonazepam, sertraline, thioridazine and valproic acid while breastfeeding.
Effects on milk supply
Hyperprolactinemia has been reported in patients taking long-term droperidol and after short-term use during surgical procedures. The maternal prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take droperidol while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Droperidol while breastfeeding — quoted in full. 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 droperidol pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for droperidol are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking droperidol?
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 droperidol
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.