Summary of Use during Lactation

No information is available on the clinical use of monkeypox vaccine during breastfeeding. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and several health professional organizations state that vaccines given to a nursing mother do not affect the safety of breastfeeding for mothers or infants and that breastfeeding is not a contraindication to monkeypox vaccine.[1-3] Monkeypox vaccine does not replicate and behaves like a non-live vaccine and non-live vaccines are generally considered to be acceptable during breastfeeding.[4] The US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention states that if monkeypox vaccine is required by the mother, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding.[5]

Drug Levels

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.

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.

References

1.

Kroger A, Bahta L, Long S, et al. CDC. General Best Practices for Immunization. https://www​.cdc.gov/vaccines​/hcp/acip-recs​/general-recs/index.html

2.

Kimberlin DW, Brady MT, Jackson MA, et al. Red Book: 2018 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 31st ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. 2018.

3.

Gruslin A, Steben M, Halperin S, et al. Immunization in pregnancy: No. 220, December 2008. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2009;105:187-91. [PubMed: 19367691]

4.

Anderson PO. Maternal vaccination and breastfeeding. Breastfeed Med 2019;14:215-7. [PubMed: 30888205]

5.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smallpox/Monkeypox VIS. June 1, 2022. https://www​.cdc.gov/vaccines​/hcp/vis/vis-statements​/smallpox-monkeypox.html

Substance Name

Monkeypox Vaccine

Drug Class

Breast Feeding

Lactation

Milk, Human

Vaccines