How Safe is this Milk?  Understanding the Pharmacokinetics of Drugs in Breast Milk (102)

Abstract Text: Breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for neonates but with the continuing opiate crisis in the United States healthcare providers are often hesitant in encouraging breastfeeding in women in treatment programs. But despite recommendations, from the AAP, ACOG and ABM encouraging breastfeeding for women in treatment programs, the rates continues to remain low due to multiple factors. One of the factors is a lack of knowledge by the healthcare providers on the pharmacokinetics of drugs in breast milk.
This presentation will cover how breast milk is produced, the factors that affect the transfer of medications into the breast milk and into the neonate, a review of the safety of common medications, reliable references to determine the safety of medications a mother is taking as well as discussion of the importance of screening all women who want to breastfeed for all prescription, over the counter and herbal medications they are taking.

Needs Assessment and Presentation Description: Breastfeeding is the ideal nutrition for all babies, even those exposed to substances in utero. Healthcare providers are often reluctant to encourage breastfeeding due to a lack of understanding of how medications are transferred into the breast milk and neonate. This session will describe the production of breast milk, the factors that affect the transfer of medications into the breast milk and then the neonate, a review of the safety of common medications and the importance of screening all women who want to breastfeed for their prescription, over the counter and herbal medications they are using.