Is Cefuroxime safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Cefuroxime. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
A prospective, controlled study asked mothers who called an information service about adverse reactions experience by their breastfed infants. Mothers were taking either cephalexin or cefuroxime. No statistical difference was found in the rate of adverse reactions in the 2 groups, with 1 case of diarrhea in each. This amounted to 2.6% of the cefuroxime-exposed infants.[8]
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. A single intravenous dose of 750 mg of cefuroxime was given to 5 women. The average peak cefuroxime level in milk was 0.37 mg/L 3 hours after the dose. Individual peak levels of 0.33 to 0.5 mg/L occurred 2 to 4 hours after the dose.[2] A single intramuscular injection of 750 mg of cefuroxime was given to 8 women with endometritis. Milk cefuroxime levels increased from 0.34 mg/L at 30 minutes after the injection to 1.45 mg/L at 8 hours after the injection.[3] After cefuroxime 750 mg three times daily intramuscularly, peak milk levels averaging 1.2 mg/L occurred 6 hours after the dose. Cefuroxime was detectable at a concentration of 0.36 mg/L 30 minutes after the dose, and by 8 hours the milk level had decreased to 1.06 mg/L.[4] One mother received cefuroxime axetil 500 mg orally three times daily for acute mastitis of the left breast following incision and drainage of the lesion. Milk samples were taken from each breast 30 minutes after the dose on day 1 of therapy. The concentration of cefuroxime in the unaffected breast was 90 mcg/L and the concentration in the breast treated for mastitis was 590 mcg/L. On day 2 of therapy, milk samples from the right and left breast were taken 90 minutes after the dose were 57 and 59 mcg/L, respectively. On day 3, milk samples obtained 90 minutes after the dose contained 27 mcg/L in the unaffected breast and 1.07 mg/L in the affected breast.[5] Two women were who had been receiving intravenous cefuroxime 750 mg 3 times daily for 2 days following cesarean section donated milk samples 1 hours after the dose. Milk concentrations were 0.34 and 0.39 mg/L.[6] Two women who had just stopped breastfeeding each took a single 500 mg dose or oral cefuroxime axetil. Ten milk samples collected over 24 hours found peak milk concentrations of 618.9 and 685.3 mcg/L at 4 hours after the dose. At 24 hours after the dose, the milk concentration were 28.6 and 26.4 mcg/L.[7] Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found
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.