Encyclopedia  /  Medications  /  Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Medication

Fluoxetine (Prozac)

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is an SSRI that is effective for depression but has a longer half-life and higher milk levels than sertraline, so it is chosen case-by-case in breastfeeding mothers—often when a woman was already stable on it before pregnancy.
Generic
Fluoxetine
Brand
Prozac
Class
SSRI
Educational information, not medical advice. This page summarizes published research and public-health guidance for learning purposes. It is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a qualified clinician. If you are struggling, talk to your doctor or midwife. In a crisis, call or text 988 or the Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262.

Evidence snapshot — computed from live data

25
Studies indexed (PubMed)
emerging evidence
Strength score 25/100

Overview

  • Class: SSRI
  • Typical use: depression, including PPD
  • Breastfeeding: higher milk transfer than sertraline; individualized decision
  • Onset: 2–6 weeks

Breastfeeding considerations

Longer half-life and higher milk levels than sertraline; used case-by-case.

Breastfeeding decisions are always individual — make them with your prescriber.

What the FDA data shows

Across 129,914 adverse-event reports for fluoxetine in the U.S. FDA FAERS database (all uses, all ages — not postpartum-specific), the most frequently reported reactions are:

Reported reactionReports
Drug Ineffective8,271
Nausea7,614
Fatigue7,591
Headache6,452
Depression6,090
Anxiety5,900
Dizziness5,293
Diarrhoea5,276

FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish that the drug caused the event. Data pulled live from openFDA.

Compare SSRI options in our breastfeeding-safety comparison.

Sources & further reading

Selected recent peer-reviewed studies, pulled live from the U.S. National Library of Medicine (PubMed). Counts and citations update automatically.

  1. Dama MH et al. “Perinatal Depression: A Guide to Detection and Management in Primary Care.” Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM (2024). PubMed →
  2. Thomson M et al. “Pharmacotherapeutic considerations for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder during and after pregnancy.” Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy (2021). PubMed →
  3. Gobinath AR et al. “Maternal exercise increases but concurrent maternal fluoxetine prevents the increase in hippocampal neurogenesis of adult offspring.” Psychoneuroendocrinology (2018). PubMed →
  4. Salazar FR et al. “Development and validation of a bioanalytical method for five antidepressants in human milk by LC-MS.” Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis (2016). PubMed →
  5. Molyneaux E et al. “Antidepressant treatment for postnatal depression.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2014). PubMed →
Explore the encyclopedia

Related entries

TreatmentAntidepressantsTreatmentBrexanoloneTreatmentZuranoloneTreatmentPsychotherapyTreatmentNutrition therapyNutritionVitamin DNutritionOmega-3NutritionIronNutritionFolate
Emily Montague, The Postpartum Chef
Written & reviewed by

Emily Montague, The Postpartum Chef

Emily is a chef, mother of five and postpartum-recovery educator who revives the 2,000-year-old zuo yuezi ("sitting month") tradition for modern mothers. Her patent-backed, food-first method helps women rebuild after birth and ease postpartum depression — and she now certifies doulas and midwives to cook it for their own clients.

Visit The Sitting Month →    Meet Emily →

Ready to heal the first 28 days?

Emily's food-first recovery course, recovery teas and doula & midwife certification live at The Sitting Month. Text Emily and she'll help you find the right starting point.

Explore The Sitting Month