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Iowa Neonatology Handbook: Pharmacology
The Effect of Drugs Taken by the Nursing Mother on her Infant
Jeffrey L. Segar, MD
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed
One of the most frequently asked questions of pediatricians, obstetricians
and nurses concerns the effect of various drugs taken by the nursing mother
on her infant. A comprehensive reference to guide you in your decision as to
whether or not a mother receiving a given drug should continue to breast feed
will be found in the literature. References include: Roberts, Drug Therapy in
Infants (Chapter 11); Briggs, et al, Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation, 1991;
White and White, Breast feeding and Drugs in Human Milk, Vet Human Tox Suppl.
I, Vol 22, 1980. There are only a few known categories of drugs which when given
to the mother warrant the interruption of breast feeding.
It may be possible to minimize infant drug exposure by instructing the mother
to take the medication immediately after completing breast feeding or by collecting
breast milk for subsequent feeding just prior to taking medication.
If drug therapy in the mother is to be of short duration, interruption rather
than complete termination of breast-feeding should be advised.
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