Can you take piperacillin 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.
Limited information indicates that piperacillin produces low levels in milk that are not expected to cause adverse effects in breastfed infants. Occasionally disruption of the infant's gastrointestinal flora, resulting in diarrhea or thrush have been reported with penicillins, but these effects have not been adequately evaluated. Piperacillin is acceptable in nursing mothers.
Quoted from Piperacillin — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2024.
How much piperacillin gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Piperacillin in a dosage of 4 grams intravenously every 8 hours for at least 3 days was given to 8 women. Milk levels were measured after 2 subsequent doses. After the first dose, milk levels ranged from 0.49 to 1.5 mg/L in the 3 hours after the dose. After the second dose, milk levels ranged from 1.1 to 1.9 mg/L in the 3 hours after the dose. Peak milk levels occurred 2 to 3 hours after the dose.
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 piperacillin while breastfeeding?
Limited information indicates that piperacillin produces low levels in milk that are not expected to cause 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 piperacillin pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for piperacillin are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking piperacillin?
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 piperacillin
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.