Can you take enoxaparin 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.
Maternal enoxaparin in doses up to 40 mg daily do not to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. Because its large molecular weight of 2000 to 8000 daltons, enoxaparin would not be expected to be excreted into breastmilk or to be absorbed from breastmilk by the infant. No special precautions are required.
Quoted from Enoxaparin — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised November 15, 2025.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of enoxaparin. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
- Acenocoumarol
- Dalteparin
- Heparin
- Rivaroxaban
- Warfarin
How much enoxaparin 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
Ten women received enoxaparin 20 mg and 2 received 40 mg daily by subcutaneous injection from the prepartum to the postpartum period. At 5 to 7 days postpartum, anti-Xa activity (a measurement of enoxaparin anticoagulant activity) was undetectable in their 12 completely breastfed term neonates 1.5 to 3 hours after they were breastfed for at least 5 days. No bleeding was detected among the infants during maternal enoxaparin therapy.
A pregnant woman suffered blood clots in the sinuses and 2 small intracranial hemorrhages at 8 weeks of gestation, followed by status epilepticus. She was treated with enoxaparin 40 mg twice daily throughout pregnancy and for 3 months postpartum as well as levetiracetam and lacosamide. Her infant was about 50% breastfed for the first 15 days of life. The infant showed normal development at 7 months of age.
Following a successful uterus transplant and embryo transfer, a newborn infant was breastfed by a mother taking tacrolimus, azathioprine 150 mg (2 mg/kg), prednisone 5 mg, and enoxaparin 40 mg daily. The tacrolimus dosage was adjusted to achieve a serum concentration of 5 to 7 mcg/L. The mother breastfed (exclusively?) for 8 weeks and weaned over the next 4 weeks. At 15 months, the infant was achieving all developmental milestones.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take enoxaparin while breastfeeding?
Maternal enoxaparin in doses up to 40 mg daily do not to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. 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 enoxaparin while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Acenocoumarol, Dalteparin, Heparin, Rivaroxaban, Warfarin 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 enoxaparin pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for enoxaparin are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking enoxaparin?
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 enoxaparin
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.