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Updated: May 22, 2026
19:15
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Drug use and breastfeeding.
Hedvig Nordeng1, Gro C Havnen, Olav Spigset
1Avdeling for farmasi, Farmasøytisk institutt, Universitetet i Oslo. h.m.e.nordeng@farmasi.uio.no
Summary
Most medications are safe for breastfeeding women, as drug transfer to milk is minimal and unlikely to harm infants. Clinical experience and available data are usually sufficient for safe prescribing.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Pediatrics
- Lactation
Background:
- Drug transfer into breast milk and potential infant effects are critical considerations for lactating women.
- Practical guidance for prescribing medication to breastfeeding mothers is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the principles of drug transfer into breast milk.
- To provide practical advice on medication use for lactating women.
Main Methods:
- Review of selected PubMed articles.
- Incorporation of expert group recommendations.
- Consideration of authors' studies and clinical experience.
Main Results:
- Drug transfer to milk is often minimal, with low risk to infants.
- Factors like drug toxicity, dosage, treatment duration, and infant age/health are crucial.
- Psychotropic drugs require careful risk-benefit assessment due to potential infant effects.
Conclusions:
- The majority of drugs are safe for breastfeeding women due to insignificant transfer to breast milk.
- Available data and clinical experience generally suffice for providing medication advice during lactation.
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