Is Granisetron safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Granisetron. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
No information is available on the use of granisetron during breastfeeding. Until more data become available, granisetron should be used with caution during breastfeeding. An alternate drug may be preferred.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
A woman nursing an 8-month-old infant 6 to 8 times daily was admitted to the hospital for an appendectomy. During the procedure she received granisetron, cefazolin, ketorolac, rocuronium, succinylcholine, and sufentanil. The patient also received 2 boluses of intravenous propofol of 150 mg followed shortly thereafter by a 50 mg dose. Postoperatively, she was receiving acetaminophen, cefazolin, ibuprofen, and pantoprazole, as well as oxycodone and dimenhydrinate as needed. Twenty-two hours after the procedure, the mother extracted milk for the first time and noted it to be light green in color. Analysis of the green milk using a nonvalidated assay detected no propofol. The green color faded and was absent by postoperative day 4 when she resumed breastfeeding. The authors judged that the green color was possibly caused by propofol or one of its metabolites.[1]
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Granisetron” (granisetron). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.