Ampicillin in breast milk during puerperal infections

Low concentrations of ampicillin were found in colostrum/breast milk from 6 mothers treated with pivampicillin 1.05 to 2.1 g daily during the first to eighth day postpartum in the maternity ward. It was calculated that the breast-fed infant could theoretically receive 0.05-0.37% of the dose/kg given to the mother. It is concluded that direct exposure of the breast-fed infant suckling from a mother under treatment with ampicillin or pivampicillin seems to be minimal.