Mebendazole

The Basics

What is Mebendazole?

Used to treat infections caused by worms.

Brand names for Mebendazole

Vermox

How Mebendazole is classified

Anti-Infective Agents, Antiparasitic Agents, Antinematodal Agents

Mebendazole During Pregnancy

Mebendazole pregnancy category

Category N/ANote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.

What we know about taking Mebendazole while pregnant

N/A

Taking Mebendazole While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Mebendazole?

Limited data indicate that mebendazole is poorly excreted into breastmilk and poorly absorbed orally. Reports on the use of mebendazole during breastfeeding have found no adverse reactions in breastfed infants. There are rare case reports of a decrease in milk supply following use of mebendazole, but no convincing evidence that these were caused by the drug. No special precautions are required.

Maternal / infant drug levels

Limited data indicate that mebendazole is poorly excreted into breastmilk and poorly absorbed orally. Reports on the use of mebendazole during breastfeeding have found no adverse reactions in breastfed infants. There are rare case reports of a decrease in milk supply following use of mebendazole, but no convincing evidence that these were caused by the drug. No special precautions are required.

Possible effects of Mebendazole on milk supply

A nursing mother who was 13 weeks postpartum was taking oral metronidazole 250 mg three times daily. Milk production seemed to be unaffected. On the eighth day of therapy she passed a roundworm. Metronidazole was discontinued and oral mebendazole 100 mg twice daily was started. The patient was tense for a few days after passing the worm. On the second day of mebendazole treatment, milk production dropped markedly and she began supplementation with formula. By day 7, milk production had ceased. The authors suggested that mebendazole might have caused the drop in milk production, but offered no further evidence other than the temporal relationship.[4]

Four patients were treated with oral mebendazole 100 mg twice daily for 3 days beginning the first day postpartum. Two had pinworm (Enterobius), 1 had roundworm (Ascaris) and 1 had hookworm (Ancyclostomia) infestations. All breastfed successfully.[2]

One author reported information received by personal communication from the manufacturer stating that no inhibition of lactation was noted after a single 100 mg oral dose of mebendazole to a nursing mother (time postpartum not stated).[1]

In a case series reported 45 nursing mothers who took mebendazole in doses ranging from 100 mg once to 200 mg twice daily for 3 days, one mother reported a slight decrease in milk production.[3]

Possible alternatives to Mebendazole

Albendazole.