Is Cefepime safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Cefepime. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
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.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. The manufacturer reports that the mean concentration of cefepime in breastmilk in 9 healthy women was about 0.5 mcg/mL during the first 8 hours, following a single intravenous dose of 1 gram, then undetectable between 12 and 24 hours. The mean cumulative breast milk excretion of cefepime over 24 hours was 0.01% of the administered dose. This is consistent with the low levels of other cephalosporins in breastmilk. Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Cefepime is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.