Is Perampanel safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Perampanel. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
An infant was exclusively breastfed by a mother taking perampanel, brivaracetam and lacosamide for 6 weeks, then partially breastfed. The infant did not exhibit reduced wakefulness or feeding problems. At one year of age, the mother reported normal development.[1]
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
In published reports of anticonvulsant use during breastfeeding, most women were taking a combination of anticonvulsants. Some other anticonvulsants (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine) stimulate the metabolism of other drugs including anticonvulsants, whereas others (e.g., valproic acid) inhibit the metabolism of other drugs. Therefore, the relationship of the maternal dosage to the concentration in breastmilk can be quite variable, making calculation of the weight-adjusted percentage of maternal dosage less meaningful than for other drugs in this database. Maternal Levels. A mother was taking perampanel 8 mg daily as well as lacosamide 200 mg twice daily and brivaracetam 100 mg twice daily. Her milk perampanel levels were 0.31 micromoles/L (108 mcg/L) on day 5 postpartum 12 hours after the previous dose and 0.15 micromoles/L (52 mcg/L) on week 5 postpartum 13 hours after the previous dose.[1] Two breastfeeding women who were taking perampanel 4 mg daily plus lamotrigine had perampanel levels measured in their milk. One woman had a milk level of 0.06 mg/L at 3 days postpartum. The other woman had an undetectable ( 0.01 mg/L) milk level at 4 days postpartum.[2] Infant Levels. A mother was taking perampanel 8 mg daily as well as lacosamide 200 mg twice daily and brivaracetam 100 mg twice daily. Her infant was exclusively breastfed and had serum perampanel concentration of 0.23 micromoles/L (80 mcg/L) on day 1, 0.49 micromoles/L (171 mcg/L) on day 5, and 0.23 micromoles/L (80 mg/L) in week 5 postpartum, which are near the lower end of the therapeutic range of 0.25 micromoles/L. At week 11 postpartum, the infant was partially breastfed and perampanel was undetectable ( 0.15 micromoles/L; 52 mcg/L) in the infant s serum.[1] One breastfeeding mother taking perampanel 4 mg daily plus lamotrigine had perampanel measured in the serum of her and her infant. Her infant had a serum level of 0.16 mg/L at 4 days postpartum, and an infant-to-maternal serum concentration ratio of 0.36
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.