Can you take tranexamic acid 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.
Amounts of tranexamic acid in breastmilk appear to be low. Recent expert opinion considers that breastfeeding should be permitted in infants whose mothers require treatment with tranexamic acid. Tranexamic acid is used for hereditary angioedema in low-income countries where first-line treatments are not available, but should not be used if C1-INH is available.
Quoted from Tranexamic Acid — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised June 15, 2026.
How much tranexamic acid gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Unpublished data from the manufacturer indicates that the concentration of tranexamic acid in breastmilk is 1% of the peak serum concentration 1 hour after the last dose of a 2-day treatment course. Further details of the study have not been published.
A dose-finding study of 30 women who received either 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg of tranexamic acid at the time of cord clamping after cesarean delivery collected convenience samples of milk at unspecified times when mothers were nursing their neonates. Tranexamic acid levels in milk were measured in 7 patients. Three samples had no detectable tranexamic acid (<0.04 mg/L). The other samples contained tranexamic acid concentrations ranging from 0.06 to 0.47 mg/L.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Twenty-one mothers who took tranexamic acid during breastfeeding were compared to 42 mothers who took amoxicillin during breastfeeding. In the study population, the tranexamic acid dosage ranged between 1.5 and 4 grams daily at an average of 4.2 months of age and 81% exclusively breastfed their infants. The average time of follow-up of the infants of study mothers was 35.7 months of age. No statistically significant difference were found between the study and control groups in possible drug side effects, neurological development or general health.
A randomized, double-blind, multicenter study compared the use of a 1 gram dose of intravenous tranexamic acid (n = 10,051) to placebo (n = 10,009) in women with postpartum hemorrhage. The dose could be repeated in 24 hours if bleeding recurred. Among babies who were breastfed, no difference in infant deaths were seen between the two groups, nor were any thromboembolic events reported. The numbers of breastfed infants in each group were not reported.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take tranexamic acid while breastfeeding?
Amounts of tranexamic acid in breastmilk appear to be low. 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 tranexamic acid pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for tranexamic acid are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking tranexamic acid?
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 tranexamic acid
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.