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MotherToBaby

Medications and More during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Haloperidol (Haldol®)

Selected References:

  • Atmaca M, Kuloglu M, Tezcan E, Canatan H, Gecici,O. 2002. Quetiapine is not associated with increase in prolactin secretion in contrast to haloperidol. Arch Med Res 33:562-5. 
  • Beumont PJ, Gelder MG, Friesen HG, et al. 1974. The effects of phenothiazine on endrocrine function: I Patients with inappropriate lactation and amenorrhoea. Br J Psychiatry. 124:413–9.  
  • Crawford AM, Beasley CM Jr, Tollefson GD. 1997. The acute and long-term effect of olanzapine compared with placebo and haloperidol on serum prolactin concentrations. Schizophr Res. 26:41–54.  
  • Cho H, et al. 2025. Antipsychotic use during pregnancy and outcomes in pregnant individuals and newborns. J Affect Disord. 373:495-504. 
  • Diav-Citrin O, Shechtman S, Ornoy S, et al. 2005. Safety of haloperidol and penfluridol in pregnancy: a multicenter, prospective, controlled study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 66:317-322. 
  • Dieulangard P et al. 1966. Sur un cas d’ectro-phocomelie peutetre d’origine medicamenteuse. Bull Fed Gynecol Obstet 18:85-87. 
  • Fiore L, Scapagnini U, Canonico PL. 1987. Effect of dihydroergocryptine and dihydroergocristine on cyclic AMP accumulation and prolactin release in vitro: Evidence for a dopaminomimetic action. Horm Res. 25:171–177.  
  • Kallen et al. 2013 The use of central nervous system active drugs during pregnancy. Pharmaceuticals 6(10):1221-1286. 
  • Kopelman AE et al. 1975. Limb malformations following maternal use of haloperidol. J Am Med Assoc 231:62-64. 
  • Langer G, Puhringer W. 1980. Haloperidol and droperidol treatment in schizophrenics. Clinical application of the “prolactin-model”. Acta Psychiatr Belg. 80:574–83.  
  • Maguire GA. 2002. Prolactin elevation with antipsychotic medications: mechanisms of action and clinical consequences. J Clin Psychiatry. 63(suppl 4):56-62. 
  • Straub L, Hernández-Díaz S, Bateman BT, et al. 2022. Association of Antipsychotic Drug Exposure in Pregnancy With Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A National Birth Cohort Study. JAMA Intern Med. 182(5):522–533. 
  • Straub L, et al. 2026. Congenital malformation risk following prenatal antipsychotic exposure: a systematic safety surveillance approach. BMJ Ment Health. 29(1):e302270.  
  • Turkington RW. 1972. Prolactin secretion in patients treated with various drugs: Phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, reserpine, and methyldopa. Arch Intern Med. 130:349–354.  
  • Turkington RW. 1972. Serum prolactin levels in patients with gynecomastia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 34:62–66.  
  • Uguz F. 2016. Breastfed infants exposed to combined antipsychotics: Two case reports. Am J Ther. 23:e1962–e1964 
  • Uguz F. 2019. Adverse events in a breastfed infant exposed to risperidone and haloperidol. Breastfeed Med. 14:683–684. 
  • Uguz F. 2021. A new safety scoring system for the use of psychotropic drugs during lactation. Am J Ther. 28:e118–e126 
  • Van Waes A, Van de Velde E. 1969. Safety evaluation of haloperidol in the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. J Clin Pharmacol 9:224-227. 
  • Wang, E., et al.. 2026. Correction: Comparative safety of antipsychotic medications and mood stabilizers during pregnancy: A systematic review and network meta-analysis of congenital malformations and prenatal outcomes. CNS Drugs 40, 841–863. 
  • Whalley LJ, Blain PG, Prime JK. 1981. Haloperidol secreted in breast milk. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 282:1746–1747. 
  • Yoshida K, Smith B, Craggs M, et al. 1997. Investigation of pharmacokinetics and possible adverse effects in infants exposed to tricyclic antidepressants in breast-milk. J Affect Disord. 43:225–237. 
  • Yoshida K, Smith B, Craggs M, et al. 1998. Neuroleptic drugs in breast-milk: A study of pharmacokinetics and of possible adverse effects in breast-fed infants. Psychol Med. 28:81–91. 

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