Chapter 9 Drugs and breastfeeding in women with diabetes
Denice S Feig
• When prescribing drugs to a breastfeeding mother careful consideration of passage of drugs into breast milk and potential effects on the infant needs to be made
• Of the oral hypoglycaemics metformin appears to pass into breast milk in only tiny quantities and can be considered for use, although caution is advised while nursing premature infants and those with renal impairment. More limited evidence supports use of selected sulphonylureas (glibenclamide, glipizide)
• Antihypertensive agents commonly used in pregnancy (methyldopa, labetalol, nifedipine) can also be considered in breastfeeding mothers along with selected beta blockers and ACE inhibitors
• Breastfeeding exerts many benefits for the mother and child and should be encouraged. Recent evidence suggests that there may be long-term benefits reducing the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in offspring.
Part of the Oxford Diabetes Library, this book summarizes the key aspects of the medical management of diabetes during pregnancy, acting as a practical introduction particularly for obstetricians and endocrinologists in training.
Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work.
