Can you take praziquantel 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.
Because of the minute levels of praziquantel in breastmilk, amounts ingested by the infant are small and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. Expert opinion holds that lactation should not be a contraindication to maternal treatment with praziquantel.
Quoted from Praziquantel — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised June 15, 2026.
How much praziquantel gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Five women were given a single oral dose of praziquantel of about 50 mg/kg. The average peak milk level of 440 mcg/L usually occurred 2 hours after the dose, although the peak occurred 6 hours after the dose in 1 individual. By 24 hours after the dose, the drug was undetectable (<4 mcg/L) in 4 women and near the lower limit of detection (6 mcg/L) in the other. The authors calculated that the average amount excreted into milk in 24 hours was 27 mcg (range 6.8 to 75 mcg) which corresponded to 0.0087% of the total (not weight-adjusted) dosage.
The same paper reported another 5 women given three 20 mg/kg oral doses at 4-hour intervals. With this regimen, peaks were observed 4 and 10 hours after the first dose. A meal near the second dose probably delayed its absorption. The peaks were 250 and 460 mcg/L, respectively. The authors calculated that the average amount excreted into milk in 24 hours was 25.6 mcg (range 4.6 to 49 mcg) which corresponded to 0.0007% of the total (not weight-adjusted) dosage.
Fifteen women in the Philippines who were 5 to 7 months postpartum and infected with Schistosoma japonicum were given praziquantel 30 mg/kg twice at an interval of 3 hours. The average milk praziquantel level was 0.185 mg/L. Praziquantel elimination from milk had a half-life averaging 1.9 hours and paralleled plasma elimination. By 24 hours after the dose, the milk level was estimated to be 4 mcg/L. Using the average milk level, the authors estimated that a fully breasted infant would receive about 0.028 mg/kg daily, which would be about 0.05% of the maternal 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 praziquantel while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Praziquantel 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.
Does praziquantel pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for praziquantel are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking praziquantel?
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 praziquantel
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.