Can you take ethacrynic acid 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 no information is available on the use of ethacrynic acid during breastfeeding and because intense diuresis might decrease lactation, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. Low doses of ethacrynic acid may not suppress lactation.
Quoted from Ethacrynic Acid — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised January 20, 2020.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of ethacrynic acid. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much ethacrynic acid 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
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Ethacrynic acid was reportedly used successfully to suppress lactation in 6 postpartum women who did not want to breastfeed and to decrease the intensity of milk production in another. The added contribution of the diuretic to the other measures, which are effective in suppressing lactation, has not been studied. No data exist on the effects of loop diuretics on established, ongoing lactation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take ethacrynic acid while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Ethacrynic Acid 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.
What can I take instead of ethacrynic acid while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Chlorothiazide, Hydrochlorothiazide 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 ethacrynic acid pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for ethacrynic acid are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking ethacrynic acid?
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 ethacrynic acid
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.