Can you take prochlorperazine 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.
Based on minimal excretion of other phenothiazine derivatives, it appears that occasional short-term use of prochlorperazine for the treatment of nausea and vomiting poses little risk to the breastfed infant.
Quoted from Prochlorperazine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2024.
How much prochlorperazine 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
Galactorrhea has been reported with prochlorperazine. Hyperprolactinemia appears to be the cause of the galactorrhea.The hyperprolactinemia is caused by the drug's dopamine-blocking action in the tuberoinfundibular pathway.The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take prochlorperazine while breastfeeding?
What the NIH's Drugs and Lactation Database says about Prochlorperazine 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 prochlorperazine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for prochlorperazine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking prochlorperazine?
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 prochlorperazine
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.