Can you take eszopiclone 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.
No data are available on the use of eszopiclone during breastfeeding. Data from the racemate, zopiclone, indicate that occasional use while breastfeeding an older infant should pose little risk to the infant. A safety scoring system finds zopiclone possible to use during breastfeeding, but the infant should be monitored for sedation, poor feeding and poor weight gain. An alternate hypnotic may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
Quoted from Eszopiclone — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised October 15, 2024.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of eszopiclone. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much eszopiclone gets into breastmilk
Eszopiclone is the S-isomer of zopiclone which is a racemic mixture containing 50% S- and 50% R-eszopiclone. In the United States, the recommended dose of eszopiclone is 2 mg compared with the dose of 7.5 mg of zopiclone used in Europe.
Maternal Levels. Three nursing women (time postpartum not stated) received a single oral dose of zopiclone 7.5 mg. Peak milk levels of about 55 mcg/L occurred about 2 hours after the dose. The half-life in milk was similar to that in plasma which was 5.3 hours in healthy adults.
Twelve nursing mothers who were 2 to 6 days postpartum were given a single oral dose of 7.5 mg of zopiclone. The peak milk level averaged 34 mcg/L (range 24 to 57 mcg/L) and it occurred 2.4 hours (range 1 to 6 hours) after the dose. The mean half-life in milk was 5.3 hours (range 3.5 to 8.6 hours). The authors estimated that an exclusively breastfed infant would receive an average of 15 mcg/kg or 1.2 to 1.4% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage of zopiclone.
A woman took zopiclone 3.75 mg 4 times daily during pregnancy and postpartum for tension headaches. At 2 weeks postpartum, 2 hours after the second dose of the day, milk zopiclone levels ranged from 2.4 to 47.3 mcg/L and daily zopiclone excretion in the milk was estimated to be 3 mcg for a production of 335 mL. The weight-adjusted maternal dosage was estimated to be 3.2%.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
In 12 mothers who were 2 to 6 days postpartum and took 7.5 mg of zopiclone, infant breastfeeding was interrupted for 8 to 10 hours before resuming. No unusual effect were noted in the infants.
Thirty-week preterm twins were born to a mother who took zopiclone 3.75 mg 4 times daily for tension headache during pregnancy. They developed withdrawal symptoms during the first week of life. Beginning at 2 weeks of age, they were about two-thirds breastfed by their mother who continued the drug at the same dose. The infants had no clinical abnormalities and were discharged from the hospital 6 weeks after birth.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take eszopiclone while breastfeeding?
No data are available on the use of eszopiclone during breastfeeding. 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 eszopiclone while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Zaleplon, Zolpidem 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 eszopiclone pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for eszopiclone are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking eszopiclone?
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 eszopiclone
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.