Risks of Psychotropic Medications in Breastfeeding: A Study Overview
Understanding the Concerns
The potential risks to infants breastfed by women using psychotropic medications remain unclear. A recent study aimed to explore the effects of infant exposure to these medications through breast milk. Conditions such as depression and anxiety are prevalent during pregnancy and may continue postpartum. Consequently, psychotropic medications, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and antipsychotics, are frequently prescribed during and after pregnancy. The concern surrounding infants’ exposure to these drugs during breastfeeding is valid, particularly as the untreated psychiatric disorders can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Role of Drug Consultation Centers
Drug Consultation Centers (DCC) like Motherisk in Ontario, Canada, provide essential consultation services for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Researchers from the Department of Pharmacy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem collaborated with the DCC at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Israel to conduct a study assessing the safety of chronic psychotropic medication use on breastfed infants.
Study Methodology and Findings
The study involved the recruitment of 432 breastfed infants, comparing those exposed to psychotropic medications with infants receiving antibiotics deemed safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The results were published in the journal PLOS One.
To gather data, mothers completed a structured questionnaire detailing their psychotropic medication use, including the medication’s name, dosage, and duration of treatment. This information was then compared to 152 cases of infants exposed to safe antibiotics as a control group.
Growth Development Outcomes
The study indicated that psychotropic medications are unlikely to cause growth issues in infants. Follow-up assessments revealed no statistically significant differences in the medical status of infants exposed to psychotropic medications versus those who were not. Both groups displayed similar measurements in height, weight, head circumference, and weight-length ratio percentiles, all within normal developmental ranges.
Side Effects and Observations
Researchers also gathered data on potential side effects experienced by infants. Notably, 14 infants in the psychotropic medication exposure group reported side effects compared to seven in the control group. Diarrhea was the only side effect with a statistically significant difference, occurring more frequently in infants exposed to antibiotics. While increased drowsiness was noted in infants exposed to psychotropic medications, this was not significantly different from the control group, and all cases were temporary, resolving within a day.
Implications for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
Given the risks associated with untreated psychiatric disorders during pregnancy, it is essential for pregnant and breastfeeding women to feel assured that their use of psychotropic medications will not adversely affect their child. This study suggests that many psychotropic medications are safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Future research, including larger studies examining drug concentrations in breast milk, will further validate these findings.
Conclusion
In summary, the study provides an encouraging outlook on the chronic use of psychotropic medications by breastfeeding mothers, indicating minimal risk to infant growth and development.
References
Kronenfeld N, Ziv Baran T, Berlin M, Karra N, Dinavitser N, Cohen R, Wiener Y, Schwartzberg E, Bercovitch M. Chronic use of psychotropic medications in breastfeeding women: Is it safe? PLoS One. 2018.