Can you take ketoprofen 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.
Although ketoprofen has low levels in breastmilk, one center reported that they had received reports of adverse renal and gastrointestinal side effects in breastfed infants whose mothers were taking ketoprofen. Other agents are preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
Quoted from Ketoprofen — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised June 15, 2025.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of ketoprofen. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much ketoprofen gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Eighteen women were given ketoprofen 100 mg every 12 hours (average 2.69 mg/kg daily) intravenously for 2 to 3 days postpartum. One to 4 milk samples were collected between the 3rd and 4th dose of ketoprofen. Of the 61 samples collected, ketoprofen was undetectable (<20 mcg/L) in 17 of the samples. The authors assumed a milk concentration of 20 mcg/L for undetectable samples and calculated an average milk concentration of 57 mcg/L (range 20 to 177 mcg/L). A fully breastfed infant would receive an average dosage of 8.5 mcg/kg daily or 0.31% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
All adverse reactions in breastfed infants reported in France between January 1985 and June 2011 were compiled by a French pharmacovigilance center. Of 174 reports, ketoprofen was reported to cause adverse reactions in 8 infants and to be one of the drugs most often suspected in serious adverse reactions, such as esophageal ulceration, erosive gastritis, meningeal hemorrhage, and renal insufficiency.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take ketoprofen while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Ketoprofen 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 ketoprofen while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Acetaminophen, Celecoxib, Diclofenac, Flurbiprofen, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Naproxen, Piroxicam 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 ketoprofen pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for ketoprofen are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking ketoprofen?
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 ketoprofen
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.