Can you take norepinephrine 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 information is available on the use of norepinephrine during breastfeeding. Because of its poor oral bioavailability and short half-life, any norepinephrine in milk is unlikely to affect the infant. High intravenous doses of norepinephrine might reduce milk production or milk letdown as well as decrease the concentration of beta-casein in milk.
Quoted from Norepinephrine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised December 15, 2024.
How much norepinephrine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Eight nursing mothers collected breastmilk for analysis of norepinephrine. Milk norepinephrine levels ranged from 2.1 to 19.5 mcg/L (12.7 to 115.5 nanomolar). The norepinephrine in milk appears to be synthesized locally by mammary epithelial cells and actively secreted into milk.
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
Norepinephrine inhibits the synthesis of beta-casein via stimulation of adrenergic beta-2 receptors. Animal data indicate that norepinephrine can decrease serum prolactin and reduce milk production, as well as inhibit the release of oxytocin, which inhibits milk ejection.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take norepinephrine while breastfeeding?
No information is available on the use of norepinephrine 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.
Does norepinephrine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for norepinephrine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking norepinephrine?
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 norepinephrine
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.