18 - Medications safety for special population case studies: Lactation

Abstract

Safety of medications for breastfeeding mothers is very important as “the medications can cause an adverse effect on the infant. The concentration of a medication in the mother’s milk depends on a number of factors, including the medication’s concentration in the mother’s blood; the medication’s molecular weight, lipid solubility, degree of ionization, and degree of binding to plasma and milk protein; and the extent of the medication’s active secretion into the milk. Other important considerations include the relationship between the time of taking a medication and the time of breastfeeding, as well as the medication’s potential for causing toxicity in infants. In addition, some medications such as decongestants may decrease milk supply.” Ensuring the safety of medications for breastfeeding mothers is very important and requires great efforts from the healthcare professionals, medication safety system, policymakers, and patients. This chapter aims to discuss medication safety cases among breastfeeding mothers.