Can you take piroxicam 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.
Low amounts of piroxicam in milk and failure to detect piroxicam or its metabolites in the urine of 2 older infants indicates that it would not be expected to cause adverse effects in older breastfed infants. Because there is no published experience with piroxicam during breastfeeding in the newborn period, shorter-acting agents may be preferred while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
Quoted from Piroxicam — 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 piroxicam. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much piroxicam gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Peak milk levels of 170 and 220 mcg/L were found in the milk of 2 women who were taking piroxicam 20 and 40 mg daily, respectively. The time of the peak milk levels were 12 and 4 hours after the dose, respectively, in the 2 women.
Maximum milk piroxicam levels averaging 40 mcg/L were found in 3 women during the first week of therapy with oral piroxicam 20 mg daily. After steady-state was attained in these 3 women plus one additional woman, milk levels averaged 102 mcg/L during the first 12 hours after the dose and 73 mcg/L during the period of 13 to 24 hours after the dose. A nursing infant would receive an estimated average 3.5% and maximum 6.3% of the weight-adjusted maternal dosage.
Infant Levels. No piroxicam could be detected in the serum of a 13-month-old infant whose mother had been taking 20 mg daily of piroxicam for 4 months.
Neither piroxicam nor its conjugates could be detected (<15 mcg/L) in the urine of one infant after 52 days of maternal therapy with 20 mg daily.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
No adverse effects were found in the breastfed infant of a patient receiving 20 mg of piroxicam daily for 4 months starting the 9th month postpartum.
Four infants 3 to 4.5 months of age remained healthy during long-term therapy of their mothers with piroxicam 20 mg daily.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take piroxicam while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Piroxicam 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 piroxicam while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Acetaminophen, Celecoxib, Diclofenac, Flurbiprofen, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Naproxen 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 piroxicam pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for piroxicam are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking piroxicam?
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 piroxicam
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.