Research advances on effect of perianesthetic breastfeeding to infant

Abstract

Background The breastfeeding mother may need anesthesia and surgery. The lack of reliable information on drug effects taken by breastfeeding mothers on their breastfed infants often leads to inappropriately discontinuing breastfeeding by motherswho experienced surgery. Objective To review research progresses on effects of perianesthetic breastfeeding to infant. Content The nursing infant′s drug exposure is influenced by the drug concentration in maternal serum at the time of feeding, half-life period of drugs, the amount of breast milk ingested by the infant, and the infant′s weight. Drugs are classified five levels based on their safety for nursing infants: safest, safer, moderately safe, possible hazardous and contraindicated. Mothers of premature or other otherwise compromised infants may need altered dosing to avoid drug toxicity in these infants with decreased clearance and individually evaluate the effects of breastfeeding to infants. At last, we listed the latest safety grading commonly used drugs. Trend In general, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of exposure to most therapeutic anesthesia agents via human milk. Key words: Anesthesia; Breastfeeding; Adverse effect