Can you take iodixanol 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.
Intravenous iodinated contrast media are poorly excreted into breastmilk and poorly absorbed orally so they are not likely to reach the bloodstream of the infant or cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. One report of very small amounts of iodine from iodixanol in breastmilk supports this generalization. Guidelines developed by several professional organizations state that breastfeeding need not be disrupted after a nursing mother receives an iodine-containing contrast medium.
Quoted from Iodixanol — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised November 30, 2022.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of iodixanol. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much iodixanol gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. A mother was given 100 mL of iodixanol (containing 320 mg of iodine per mL) intravenously immediately postpartum for diagnosis of severe abdominal pain. She was found to have a hematoma resulting in acute tubular necrosis with a serum creatinine of 2.5 mg/dL (222 micromoles/L). Breastmilk samples taken on days 1 and 4 postpartum contained 55 and 28 mg/L of iodine, respectively. The authors calculated that the infant would receive 0.017% of the total administered maternal dose of iodine on day 1 and 0.05% on day 4 postpartum. However, these values could be somewhat different in a patient with normal kidney function.
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
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take iodixanol while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Iodixanol 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 iodixanol while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Diatrizoate, Iohexol 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 iodixanol pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for iodixanol are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking iodixanol?
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 iodixanol
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.