Is Flurbiprofen safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Flurbiprofen. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
A retrospective medical record review in Taiwan compared the full-term breastfed infants of women who received acetaminophen (n = 348) to those who received flurbiprofen (n = 132) for postpartum analgesia after a vaginal birth. There was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of infants with hyperbilirubinemia between those whose mothers received flurbiprofen (0.76%) and those whose mothers received acetaminophen(2.01%).[ 3 ] A study of full-term, vaginally delivered breastfed neonates compared those whose mothers received acetaminophen (n = 348) to those whose mothers received flurbiprofen (n = 132) for postpartum pain. Seven (2%) newborns of acetaminophen users had hyperbilirubinemia and 1 (0.76%) newborn of the flurbiprofen users had hyperbilirubinemia. The differences was not statistically significant.[ 3 ]
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Ten women who were at least 1 month postpartum were given a single 100 mg tablet of flurbiprofen. Flurbiprofen was undetectable ( 70 mcg/L) in the milk of 5 of the women. In the remaining 5 women, an average peak milk level of 92 mcg/L occurred at about 3 hours after the dose. Flurbiprofen was undetectable in any mother's milk by 24 hours after the dose.[ 1 ] Using data from this study, a fully breastfed infant would ingest an estimated maximum daily dosage of 2.2 mcg/kg after this maternal dosage or about 0.1% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage. Twelve women who were 3 to 5 days postpartum received flurbiprofen 50 mg orally four times a day for 9 doses over 3 days. Milk samples were collected at various unspecified times during this regimen. Flurbiprofen was undetectable ( 50 mcg/L) in all but 3 milk samples. One woman had levels of 70 mcg/L one hour after her first dose and 60 mcg/L just before her second dose. Another mother had a milk flurbiprofen concentration of 80 mcg/L two hours after her last dose. The authors estimated that the maximum dose that a completely breastfed infant would ingest is less than 0.5% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage.[ 2 ] Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
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.