Can you take nimodipine 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.
Based on limited data, amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants.
Quoted from Nimodipine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised January 18, 2021.
How much nimodipine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. A woman who was 3 days postpartum received 60 mg of nimodipine orally every 4 hours. She had a peak milk nimodipine level of about 3.5 mcg/L at 1 hour after a dose at steady-state. Milk levels from 1 hour before a dose (i.e., 3 hours after the previous dose) to simultaneously with a dose were less than 1 mcg/L. Using the peak milk level data, the estimated maximum intake of an exclusively breastfed infant would be about 0.0009% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.
One woman who was 3 weeks postpartum was receiving nimodipine 2 mg per hour intravenously for 22 hours. The highest milk nimodipine concentration occurred 2 hours after completing the regimen and was 4.7 mcg/L. Four hours later the level had dropped to 0.63 mcg/L. It was estimated that a nursing infant would receive a maximum daily dosage of 0.092% of the mother's weight-adjusted dosage.
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 nimodipine while breastfeeding?
Based on limited data, amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected 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.
Does nimodipine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for nimodipine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking nimodipine?
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 nimodipine
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.