Safer breastfeeding with a wearable sensor for monitoring maternal acetaminophen transfer through breast milk

Acetaminophen is the most prescribed medication for the management of postpartum pain as well as infant fever. Medications taken by breastfeeding mothers are released into the breast milk at different levels, creating concern for indirect infant exposure to acetaminophen through milk. This work develops a new tool for rapid, direct, and quantitative measurement of acetaminophen in breast milk. We have developed an innovative wearable device for milk sampling and analysis by integrating microfluidic channels and flexible laser-induced graphene sensors into a lactation pad. The fabrication process for the flexible sensors has been optimized using a rotatable central composite design. The wearable sensor achieves high sensitivity to acetaminophen in a large dynamic range of 10-600 μM, providing a promising tool for preventing acetaminophen toxicity in nursing mothers and breastfed infants. This device fills a healthcare gap, advancing breast milk analysis.