Can you take palivizumab 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 clinical use of palivizumab during breastfeeding. Because palivizumab is a large protein molecule with a molecular weight of about 148,000 Da, the amount in milk is likely to be very low. Palivizumab appears to be degraded in the infant’s gastrointestinal tract by about 20% after 1 hour and up to 36% at 2 hours in one study and 50 to 62% in others. Normal maternal milk antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus are not degraded under the same conditions. Absorption of the undigested antibodies by the infant is probably minimal.
Quoted from Palivizumab — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised November 15, 2023.
How much palivizumab 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
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take palivizumab while breastfeeding?
No information is available on the clinical use of palivizumab 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 palivizumab pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for palivizumab are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking palivizumab?
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 palivizumab
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.