U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

NCBI Bookshelf. A service of the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006-.

Cover of Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®)

Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet].

Show details

Halothane

Last Revision: December 21, 2020.

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

CASRN: 151-67-7

image 134973426 in the ncbi pubchem database

Drug Levels and Effects

Summary of Use during Lactation

Halothane is no longer available in the United States. There is no published experience with the therapeutic use of halothane as an anesthetic during breastfeeding, but trace amounts were found in the milk of a practicing anesthesiologist who had administered halothane in the operating room. Various recommendations have been made regarding breastfeeding after halothane anesthesia, from discarding the first pumping after recovery to discarding breastmilk for 24 to 48 hours after the surgical procedure.[1,2] Although withholding breastfeeding for 24 h is probably unnecessary, a short-acting anesthetic is preferred. In one study, breastfeeding before general anesthesia induction reduced requirements of sevoflurane and propofol compared to those of nursing mothers whose breastfeeding was withheld or nonnursing women.[3] It is possible that requirements for other anesthetic agents would be affected similarly.

Drug Levels

Maternal Levels. Foremilk samples taken on two occasions from a practicing anesthesiologist after administering halothane anesthesia in the operating room contained from 630 mcg/L to 2.1 mg/L (0.63-2.1 ppm) of halothane.[1] These values were higher than air samples from the operating room, but may be underestimates because of sampling techniques.

Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects in Breastfed Infants

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on Lactation and Breastmilk

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Alternate Drugs to Consider

Desflurane, Enflurane, Isoflurane, Sevoflurane

References

1.
Coté CJ, Kenepp NB, Reed SB, et al. Trace concentrations of halothane in human breast milk. Br J Anaesth. 1976;48:541–3. [PubMed: 986147]
2.
Hale TW. Anesthetic medications in breastfeeding mothers. J Hum Lact. 1999;15:185–94. [PubMed: 10578796]
3.
Bhaskara B, Dayananda VP, Kannan S, et al. Effect of breastfeeding on haemodynamics and consumption of propofol and sevoflurane: A state entropy guided comparative study. Indian J Anaesth. 2016;60:180–6. [PMC free article: PMC4800934] [PubMed: 27053781]

Substance Identification

Substance Name

Halothane

CAS Registry Number

151-67-7

Drug Class

Breast Feeding

Lactation

Anesthetics, Inhalation

Disclaimer: Information presented in this database is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. The U.S. government does not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this Site.

Copyright Notice

Attribution Statement: LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Bookshelf ID: NBK501502PMID: 30000562

Views

Related information

Similar articles in PubMed

  • Review Enflurane.[Drugs and Lactation Database (...]
    Review Enflurane.
    . Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). 2006
  • Review Isoflurane.[Drugs and Lactation Database (...]
    Review Isoflurane.
    . Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). 2006
  • Review Propofol.[Drugs and Lactation Database (...]
    Review Propofol.
    . Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). 2006
  • Review Sevoflurane.[Drugs and Lactation Database (...]
    Review Sevoflurane.
    . Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). 2006
  • Review Desflurane.[Drugs and Lactation Database (...]
    Review Desflurane.
    . Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). 2006
See reviews...See all...

Recent Activity

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

See more...