Can you take sugammadex 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.
Negligible amounts of sugammadex are excreted into breastmilk after usual doses. Because sugammadex is a large, highly polar molecule with a molecular weight of 2002 Da, oral absorption by the infant is unlikely. Sugammadex is acceptable to use during breastfeeding.
Quoted from Sugammadex — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised March 15, 2026.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of sugammadex. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
- Neostigmine
How much sugammadex gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Women undergoing cesarean section who received general anesthesia and neuromuscular block with rocuronium donated breastmilk samples at one (n = 8) and six (n = 8) hours following sugammadex administration in a median dose of 2.56 mg/kg. All patients received a 200 mg dose, and one received an additional 200 mg dose in the PACU. Of the eight 1-hour samples, sugammadex was undetectable in seven breastmilk samples and unquantifiable (<1 mg/L) in one sample. Of the eight samples obtained at 6 hours, sugammadex was undetectable in seven breastmilk samples and unquantifiable (<1 mg/L) in one (12.5%) sample.
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
A study compared sugammadex to neostigmine in their effects on lactation-related hormones in women undergoing cesarean section surgery under general anesthesia. Both groups showed significant decreases in progesterone and estradiol levels after surgery compared to preoperative values; however, the sugammadex group exhibited a significantly greater decrease. Aldosterone levels reached their highest point at the end of surgery, but by 4 hours later they were lower than before surgery, especially in the sugammadex group. Cortisol showed a temporary postoperative elevation, whereas prolactin and oxytocin levels rose in both groups, with no significant intergroup variations.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take sugammadex while breastfeeding?
Negligible amounts of sugammadex are excreted into breastmilk after usual doses. 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 sugammadex while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Neostigmine 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 sugammadex pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for sugammadex are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking sugammadex?
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 sugammadex
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.