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[Breastfeeding and drugs]

G Gremmo-Féger1, M Dobrzynski, M Collet

  • 1Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique, CHU Brest. gisele.gremmo-feger@chu-brest.fr

Journal De Gynecologie, Obstetrique Et Biologie De La Reproduction
|September 18, 2003
PubMed

Breastfeeding offers several advantages for the mother and infant. Taking drugs while breastfeeding however creates a dilemma for practitioners and often leads to a contraindication or interruption of breastfeeding. There are however very few drugs which present clinically significant risk for the breastfed child. When the mother has to take drugs, the decision to initiate or continue breastfeeding or not must be made with special care after evaluating the individual benefit/risk ratio resulting from breastfeeding and drug exposure. Evidence-based medicine is the key. The purpose of the present review is 1) to present the epidemiological data available concerning undesirable effects in infants breastfed by mothers taking drugs and on the attitude of prescribers and patients in the event of exposure to drugs while breastfeeding; 2) to analyze the pharmacokinetic data to determine the appropriate management approach in particular clinical situations; 3) to present data concerning certain drugs and sources of information useful for further study.

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