Toradol (Ketorolac) Shot Safety During Breastfeeding
Yes, a Toradol (ketorolac) shot is safe for breastfeeding women and can be used without interrupting nursing.
Safety Evidence and Recommendations
The Association of Anaesthetists 2020 guidelines explicitly list ketorolac as a safe analgesic option for breastfeeding women, and breastfeeding can continue immediately after administration without any waiting period. 1
Key Safety Data
Ketorolac transfers into breast milk in very low concentrations—the maximum milk-to-plasma ratio is only 0.037, meaning minimal drug reaches the infant 2
After a single 10 mg dose, the calculated maximum daily infant exposure is only 0.00263 mg/kg/day, which represents just 0.4% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose 2
No specific adverse events have been documented in nursing infants exposed to ketorolac through breast milk 2
Clinical Advantages
Ketorolac is recommended as a preferred option over opioids for breastfeeding women because it carries no risk of infant sedation or respiratory depression that opioids pose 1
The Association of Anaesthetists recommends ketorolac as part of multimodal analgesia approaches specifically because of its favorable safety profile in lactation 1
Dosing Recommendations
Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time 1
Standard dosing protocols apply—no special dose adjustments are needed for breastfeeding mothers 1
Important Caveats
Special consideration should be given if your infant is less than 6 weeks of age (corrected for gestation) due to immature hepatic and renal function in very young infants 1
For these youngest infants, closer monitoring may be warranted, though ketorolac remains compatible with breastfeeding 1
Instruct patients to contact their infant's healthcare provider if they note any adverse events, though none are expected 2
Comparison to Alternatives
Other NSAIDs like ibuprofen and diclofenac are also safe during breastfeeding and represent reasonable alternatives 1
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is another safe option for pain management during breastfeeding 1
Ketorolac is substantially safer than opioid alternatives which carry documented risks of infant sedation and respiratory depression 1