Is Pimecrolimus 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 Pimecrolimus. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Topical pimecrolimus has not been studied during breastfeeding; however, it is used topically in children as young as 3 months of age. Because it is poorly absorbed after topical application and plasma concentrations after topical use in adults are less than 2 mcg/L, it is a low risk to the nursing infant. Ensure that the infant’s skin does not come into direct contact with the areas of skin that have been treated. Current guidelines allow topical pimecrolimus to be applied to the nipples just after nursing for eczema, with the nipples cleaned gently before nursing.[1,2]
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. 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
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Pimecrolimus 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: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Pimecrolimus” (LM538). 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.