Psychotropics and Breastfeeding

The following is a collection of articles on psychotropic use and breastfeeding that have been published in
Psychiatry Drug Alerts
.

For a printable version of this collection click here breastfeeding.pdf

 

Antidepressants and Benzodiazepines in Nursing Infants

Nefazodone in Breast Milk

Breastfeeding and Fluoxetine

Olanzapine in Breast Milk

Bupropion Levels in Breastfed Infants

Olanzapine in Breast Milk II

Citalopram and Breastfeeding

Paroxetine in Breast Milk

Escitalopram in Breast Milk
 
Risperidone Concentrations in Breast Milk
Escitalopram in Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

Venlafaxine in Nursing Infants

Fluoxetine, Carbamazepine, and Breastfeeding

Weight Gain in Antidepressant Exposed Infants

 

 

Escitalopram in Pregnancy/Breastfeeding

A 36-year-old woman with obsessive-compulsive disorder had been successfully treated for 1 year with 30 mg/day escitalopram (Lexapro) when she stopped the medication. The following month she became pregnant and for the first 6 months her clinical course was uneventful. She then experienced a major depressive episode for which 20 mg/day escitalopram was started. The pregnancy proceeded normally, with no apparent fetal anomalies and the patient remained psychiatrically stable. However, because its parent drug citalopram has been associated with adverse neonatal outcomes, escitalopram was tapered and discontinued during the final month of pregnancy. A healthy infant was born and the mother chose to breastfeed. Depressive symptoms recurred 15 days after delivery and 20 mg/day escitalopram was restarted. Breastfeeding was continued, and at 3 months there appeared to be no adverse effects in the infant.

Gentile S: Escitalopram late in pregnancy and while breast-feeding. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2006;40 (September):1696–1697.From Salerno, Italy.

Drug Trade Names:   citalopram—Celexa;   escitalopram—Lexapro

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts November 2006

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Escitalopram in Breast Milk

Infant exposure to escitalopram and its main metabolite demethylescitalopram appeared to be low and not associated with developmental delays in a study of 8 mother–infant pairs.1

All mothers were breastfeeding while undergoing escitalopram treatment for postpartum depression between 1 and 10 months after delivery. The average escitalopram dose was 10 mg/day and the average treatment duration was 55 days. Blood samples were obtained at regular intervals over 24 hours and women collected samples of breast milk before the morning dose and before and after each infant feeding. Infants were examined clinically and mothers were asked about the baby’s well-being.

The total dose of escitalopram plus demethylescitalopram in breast milk was about 5% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose. Absolute escitalopram doses in the infants were about 50% lower than those of citalopram in an earlier study.2 Clinical assessment of the infants found no adverse drug effects or developmental delays. Plasma was obtained for escitalopram assay in 5 infants; 4 had levels below the limit of detection, and levels were detectable but low in the fifth.

The authors conclude that escitalopram is safe for use during pregnancy, but warn against basing a conclusion on a sample this small.

1Rampono J, Hackett L, Kristensen J, Kohan R, et al: Transfer of escitalopram and its metabolite demethylescitalopram into breast milk. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2006;62 (September):316–322. From the Women's and Children’s Health Service, Subiaco, Australia; and other institutions. Funded by Lundbeck Australia Pty. Ltd.

2Schmidt K, et al: Citalopram and breast-feeding: serum concentration and side effects in the infant. Biological Psychiatry 2000;47:164–165.

Drug Trade Names:   citalopram—Celexa;   escitalopram—Lexapro

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts November 2006

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Risperidone Concentrations in Breast Milk

Maternal risperidone (Risperdal) use during breastfeeding does not appear to pose a threat to healthy full-term infants.1

Concentrations of risperidone and its metabolite were measured in the breast milk of 3 women receiving risperidone treatment and in serum samples from 2 infants aged 6 weeks and 3 months (1 patient was experiencing treatment-related galactorrhea and had not given birth). Patients were receiving risperidone dosages of 1.5–4 mg/day and infant dosages (absolute and relative to maternal dosage) from breast milk were calculated. Neither risperidone nor its metabolite was detectable in the infant plasma samples and the absolute and relative risperidone dosages were 0.32 mcg/kg/day and 2.8 % of the maternal dose, respectively for 1 infant and 0.06 mcg/kg/day and 4.7%, respectively for the other infant. Both infants were thriving and reaching developmental milestones with no adverse effects of maternal risperidone treatment noted. Estimated absolute and relative infant dosages were 0.88 mcg/kg/day and 2.3% in the patient with galactorrhea.

Relative infant doses of <10% of the maternal dose are below the level of concern for full-term healthy infants.2 While the results in these and several other reports suggest safety, the data are limited and breastfeeding decisions should be made on an individual basis.

1Ilett K, Hackett P, Kristensen J, Vaddadi K, et al: Transfer of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone into human milk. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2004;38 (February):273–276. From the School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia; and other institutions.

2Bennett P. Use of the monographs on drugs. In: Bennett P, ed. Drugs and human lactation. 2nd ed. Amsterdam:Elsevier, 1996:67–74.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts April 2004

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Olanzapine in Breast Milk

Breastfeeding is often not encouraged in women taking atypical antipsychotics because of a lack of data regarding its safety.1 In order to add to the existing evidence (3 case reports and a review of 20 cases),2-4 olanzapine concentrations were measured in the breast milk of a 32-year-old woman with postpartum-onset psychosis. On the 9th postpartum day the patient presented with auditory hallucinations; paranoid delusions; grossly disorganized behavior; and incoherent speech. She was admitted with the infant and received acute treatment with 5 mg haloperidol and 25 mg IM levopromazine and then 20 mg/day olanzapine. Breastfeeding was discontinued but breast milk was collected and olanzapine concentrations were measured in the samples and in maternal serum.

Maternal serum olanzapine reached steady state (42 ng/mL) after 10 days at which time the milk/plasma concentration ratio was 0.42. Based on a calculation including milk concentrations, maternal weight and olanzapine dose, and assumed daily milk intake, the olanzapine dose (relative to maternal dose) that would have been transferred to the infant was at 4% of the maternal dose or about 0.011 mg/kg/day. Although this appears to be a small amount, measurement of infant serum concentrations would be necessary to evaluate individual risk.

1Ambresin G, Berney P, Schulz P, Bryois C: Olanzapine excretion into breast milk: a case report (letter). Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2004;24 (February):93–95. From Hôpital Psychiatrique de Prangins, Switzerland; and other institutions.

2Goldstein D, Corbin L, Fung M: Olanzapine-exposed pregnancies and lactation: early experience. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2000;20(4):399–403.

3Kirchheiner J, Berghöfer A, Bolk-Weischedel D: Healthy outcome under olanzapine treatment in a pregnant woman. Pharmacopsychiatry 2000;33:78–80.

4Ernst C, Goldberg J: The reproductive safety profile of mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics and broad-spectrum psychotropics. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2002;63(Suppl 4):42–55.

Drug Trade names:   haloperidol—Haldol;   levopromazine—Levoprome;   olanzapine—Zyprexa

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts April 2004

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Olanzapine in Breast Milk II

In a group of 6 healthy breastfeeding infants (mean age, 2 months) whose mothers were receiving olanzapine (Zyprexa), plasma levels of the drug were undetectable.1

Serial blood and milk samples were obtained from 6 mothers 5–7 times over the 12–24 hours post-dose and from 1 additional mother at a single post-dose time point. Blood samples also were obtained from 6 of the infants; 1 mother who underwent serial sampling did not consent to blood sampling in her infant. Olanzapine concentrations in milk reached maximum levels about 5 hours post-dose and maximum plasma concentrations of olanzapine were found in the mothers at 2–5 hours post-dose. Concentrations were undetectable in the infant plasma samples. Infant exposure was calculated to be about 1% of the maternal dose, which is substantially lower than the threshold for concern of 10%.2 Medical examinations of 4 of the infants revealed no adverse effects of drug exposure.

Although adjusted infant dosages were below levels of concern, mothers who want to minimize their infant's olanzapine exposure should avoid breastfeeding when the drug reaches maximal milk concentrations at 2–5 hours post-dose.

1Gardiner S, Kristensen J, Begg E, Hackett L, et al: Transfer of olanzapine into breast milk, calculation of infant drug dose, and effect on breast-fed infants. American Journal of Psychiatry 2003;160 (August):1428–1431. From Christchurch Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia; and other institutions. Funded by the Women and Infants Research Foundation; and other sources.

2Bennett P: Use of the monographs on drugs, in Drugs and Human Lactation. Amsterdam, Elsevier, 1996:67–74.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts October 2003

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Weight Gain in Antidepressant Exposed Infants

Infants exposed to antidepressants in breast milk showed normal weight gain during the first 6 months of life. However, prolonged postpartum maternal depression was associated with reduced infant weight gain.

Methods: Subjects were 78 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs. All infants were full term, and mothers had started antidepressant therapy either during pregnancy (n=56) or within the first 4 postpartum weeks (n=22). All women were treated with either a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or venlafaxine, and 6 received a concurrent benzodiazepine or tricyclic antidepressant. Maternal mood was assessed at 6-month intervals using a DSM-IV checklist, and infant weight was determined from pediatrician records.

Results: Mean infant weight at 6 months (16 lb for females, 18 lb for males) was virtually identical to CDC published norms. When specific agents were examined separately, none reduced infant weight gain. Notably, weight was not affected by exposure to fluoxetine, which was previously associated with poor feeding and diminished weight gain.

In the group as a whole, weight gain did not differ among infants whose mothers experienced a depressive relapse (n=26) and those who did not (n=52). However, the infants of 11 women who had a postpartum depressive relapse lasting >2 months weighed significantly less at 6 months than infants of women who remained euthymic or who had relatively brief relapses.

Discussion: Maternal depression may affect infant weight gain by influencing the mother's feeding behaviors, or by altering cortisol levels in breast milk. Results of this study suggest maternal depression may have a larger impact than antidepressant exposure on infant growth.

Hendrick V, Smith L, Hwang S, Altshuler L, et al: Weight gain in breastfed infants of mothers taking antidepressant medications. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2003;64 (April):410–412. From UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, Los Angeles, Calif.; and other institutions. Funded by the NIMH; and the NIH.

Drug Trade Names:   fluoxetine—Prozac;   venlafaxine—Effexor

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts June 2003

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Bupropion Levels in Breastfed Infants

Serum levels of bupropion (Wellbutrin) and its metabolite, hydroxybupropion, were undetectable in 2 healthy infants of breastfeeding mothers. Both mothers, 1 with bipolar disorder and 1 with recurrent major depression, had previously responded to bupropion treatment but discontinued its use during pregnancy and then resumed treatment for postpartum depression. The bupropion dosage was 75 mg b.i.d. in the mother with bipolar disorder, and 150 mg/day of the sustained release formulation in the mother with recurrent depression. Both mothers received concomitant medications. Bupropion levels were assessed in the infants at 17 and 40 weeks of age, after the mothers had been treated for 2 and 10 weeks, respectively. Levels were below quantifiable limits, and neither mothers nor pediatricians observed ill effects in the infants.

It is possible that trace amounts of bupropion were present in the infants, and a "no-effect" level has not been determined. Data on bupropion levels in breastfed infants is extremely limited, and the observations in these children should not be generalized to newborns or to infants with medical problems.

Baab S, Peindl K, Piontek C, Wisner K: Serum bupropion levels in 2 breastfeeding mother-infant pairs. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2002;63 (October):910–911. From the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio. Funded by the NIMH.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts January 2003

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Venlafaxine in Nursing Infants

A pair of infants exposed to the atypical antidepressant venlafaxine (Effexor) in breast milk had no detectable serum venlafaxine and had low levels of its metabolite that did not appear to produce any adverse consequences.1

Blood samples from 2 infant/mother pairs were analyzed for levels of venlafaxine and its metabolite O-desmethylvenlafaxine. The pair 1 mother had begun taking 75 mg/day venlafaxine on the day of delivery and the pair 2 mother had taken 150 mg/day venlafaxine throughout her pregnancy. Both infants were delivered at full-term and were exclusively breast-fed during their first 6 months. The pair 1 infant had serum drawn at 3 weeks of age, 3 hours after the mother took her oral dose of venlafaxine. The pair 2 infant had serum drawn at 4 weeks of age, 2 hours after the mother’s dose.

At the time of blood sampling, the mothers had serum venlafaxine concentrations of 31 and 28 ng/mL, and O-desmethylvenlafaxine of 148 and 230 ng/mL, respectively. The infants had no detectable serum level of venlafaxine, but the metabolite was present in both, at 16 and 21 ng/mL, respectively. The infants have had no apparent sequelae, and appear to have developed normally during their first year of life. The absence of venlafaxine and the presence of its metabolite in these infants suggests that they were able to desmethylate the venlafaxine.

There appears to be only 1 other small series (3 infants) reported on the use of venlafaxine in nursing mothers.2 In that report, the estimated mean dosage of venlafaxine received by the infants was 7.6% of the maternal weight-adjusted dose. No adverse effects were noted, but the authors cautioned that the infant dosages were relatively high compared with those of other antidepressants in breast milk.

1Hendrick V, Altshuler L, Wertheimer A, Dunn W: Venlafaxine and breast-feeding (letter). American Journal of Psychiatry 2001;158 (December):2089–2090. From Los Angeles, Calif.

2Ilett K, et al: Distribution and excretion of venlafaxine and O-desmethylvenlafaxine in human milk. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 1998;45:459–462.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts Febrauary 2002

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Nefazodone in Breast Milk

A 9-week-old girl was hospitalized for drowsiness, lethargy, and poor feeding.1 She had been delivered at 27 weeks gestation, and was discharged from the special care nursery after 8 weeks. She was fed collected breast milk after birth, and was breastfed at home. Two weeks before re-admission, her mother had started 300 mg/day nefazodone (Serzone) for depression. After a thorough investigation found no apparent cause for the infant’s symptoms, nefazodone exposure was considered, and the mother was asked to stop breastfeeding. Within 3 days, the infant’s symptoms abated. The mother was then given a single 200-mg dose of nefazodone, and serial measurements of nefazodone and its metabolites in blood and breast milk specimens were taken over a 12-hour period.

Pharmacokinetic analysis showed the infant had received an average dose of 0.45% of the mother’s weight-adjusted nefazodone dose. Although infant exposure to antidepressants and other drugs is generally considered to be safe when the infant dose is <10% of the maternal dose,2 this may not apply to premature infants with immature hepatic and renal clearance mechanisms.

1Yapp P, et al: Drowsiness and poor feeding in a breast-fed infant: association with nefazodone and its metabolites. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 2000;34 (November):1269–1272. From the King Edward Memorial and Princess Margaret Hospitals, Subiaco, Australia; and other institutions. Funded by Women’s & Infants Research Foundation, Western Australia; and Bristol-Meyers Squibb.

2Bennett P: Use of the monographs on drugs. In: Bennett P, ed. Drugs and human lactation, 2nd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers 1996:67–74.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts March 2001

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Paroxetine in Breast Milk


A study in nursing mothers demonstrated that paroxetine (Paxil) is excreted in breast milk. No paroxetine serum levels or adverse effects were detected in the infants.

Methods: Subjects were 16 postpartum women receiving 10–50 mg/day paroxetine (mean, 23 mg/day) for depression. An analysis with a limit of detection of 2 ng/mL was carried out on 108 samples of breast milk after steady-state serum paroxetine levels had been reached. The analysis determined 1) the time course of paroxetine excretion into breast milk after a single oral dose, using the initial 10–20 mL of breast milk obtained every 4–6 hours for 24 hours after drug administration; and 2) paroxetine concentrations in breast milk, using samples obtained early and late in the same feeding. Maternal serum samples were obtained within 2–5 hours after drug administration, and infant samples were obtained within 1–5 hours after feeding. In all infants, breast milk was the chief or exclusive source of nutrition.

Results: Paroxetine was detected in all breast milk samples. The milk-to-plasma ratio of paroxetine was highly variable (0.06:1.3), depending on the timing of the sampling. Paroxetine concentrations increased from the initial portions of breast milk to the later portions. The time course of excretion into breast milk during the day showed no pattern that would be useful in advising mothers to discard a daily feeding to limit infant exposure to the medication.

No detectable concentrations of paroxetine were found in the sera of nursing infants. Parents reported no changes in infant behavior after the start of treatment with paroxetine.

Discussion: Infant exposure to paroxetine based on breast milk analysis is difficult to predict. Laboratory results describing undetectable blood levels do not suggest a complete absence of infant exposure to the medication, and should be interpreted with caution.

Stowe Z, et al: Paroxetine in human breast milk and nursing infants. American Journal of Psychiatry 2000;157 (February):185–189. From Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga.; and Harvard University School of Medicine, Cambridge, Mass. Funded in part by the NIMH; SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals; and Pfizer, Inc.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts March 2000

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Citalopram and Breastfeeding


A 29-year-old woman was hospitalized with postpartum depression 4 weeks after giving birth. Against advice, she chose to continue breast-feeding while undergoing drug therapy, but agreed to have her drug levels monitored to guard against drug accumulation in the infant. She received 20 mg/day citalopram, increased to 40 mg/day after 2 days. After 8 days, at steady-state levels, her serum citalopram concentration was 99 ng/mL (within normal limits), and her breast milk level was 205 ng/mL. After 8 more days of treatment with no change in the dosage, the drug level in the infant was 12.7 ng/mL (corresponding to about 5% of her mother's drug dose, on a weight-adjusted basis).

The relatively high serum concentration in the baby along with the observation of restless sleep within 2–3 nights after the mother started drug treatment, resulted in a dosage reduction to 20 mg/day. At this time, formula was substituted for the first 2 morning feedings. One week after the dosage reduction, the serum drug concentration in the mother and infant was 49.0 ng/mL and 4.5 ng/mL, respectively. The baby’s sleep returned to normal, and the mother’s depressive symptoms resolved.

Discussion: The side effects in this infant could be explained by the high serum drug concentration in the mother. Other SSRIs might provide a better treatment option. Fluoxetine and sertraline may be passed into breast milk at lower levels than citalopram, relative to maternal blood levels.

Schmidt K, Olesen O, Jensen P: Citalopram and breast-feeding: serum concentrations and side effects in the infant. Biological Psychiatry 2000;47 (January 15):164–165. From the Psychiatric University Hospital in Aarhus, Risskov, Denmark.

Drug Trade Names: citalopram—Celexa;   fluoxetine—Prozac;   sertraline—Zoloft

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts March 2000

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Breastfeeding and Fluoxetine


Infants exposed to fluoxetine (Prozac) in breast milk gained less weight than infants of mothers who had discontinued the medication before breastfeeding.

Methods: Participants in this retrospective cohort study were women (n=64) who contacted the California Teratogen Information Service between 1989 and 1997 inquiring about the safety of fluoxetine use during pregnancy. All subjects took fluoxetine at some time during pregnancy, had full-term infants, and breastfed exclusively for at least 2 weeks. Twenty-six women continued fluoxetine while breastfeeding; 21 took 20 mg/day and none took more than 40 mg/day. Subjects also completed a questionnaire about infant behavior; infant weight gains were compared in both groups.

Results: Mothers who took fluoxetine while breastfeeding had infants that were smaller at birth than comparison infants. Postnatal weight gain, measured at an average age of 12 weeks, was about 400 g less in fluoxetine infants than in comparison infants (p=0.05). Five infants in the fluoxetine group and 1 in the comparison group had been admitted to a special care nursery at birth (p=0.04). The hospital stay for each infant ranged from 1 to 4 days and did not interfere with breastfeeding.

A separate analysis was conducted in 30 infants who were weighed twice during the breastfeeding period. Weight gain at the second postnatal measurement did not differ significantly between treatment groups.

No unusual behavior attributed to medication was reported in the fluoxetine-group infants. However, decreased weight gain associated with mothers taking fluoxetine while breastfeeding may be important in babies in whom weight gain is already a concern.

Chambers C, et al: Weight gain in infants breastfed by mothers who take fluoxetine. Pediatrics 1999;104 (November): From the University of California, San Diego. Source of funding not stated.

 

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts February 2000

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Antidepressants and Benzodiazepines in Nursing Infants


In an observational study, use of antidepressants or benzodiazepines during breastfeeding was not associated with drug accumulation in infant serum. This finding supports current American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations which do not rule out the use of psychotropic medications in women who breastfeed.

Methods: Investigators analyzed serum samples from 35 infants, aged 1–44 weeks, breastfed by mothers taking SSRIs, TCAs, benzodiazepines, and, in 2 cases, valproic acid. The mothers had sought consultation at a referral center about taking psychotropics during breastfeeding. Twenty-five of the 35 infants were also exposed to agents taken during their mothers’ third trimester of pregnancy, and 10 were exposed only after birth.

Results: Of the 10 breastfeeding infants whose mothers began taking psychotropics post-delivery, none had a detectable level of any agent or active metabolite. However, levels of medication were detectable in 9 infants whose mothers had been taking relatively long-acting agents during the third trimester of pregnancy. Of the 8 newborns exposed to fluoxetine in this way, 7 had detectable blood levels within the first several weeks after delivery. Of 3 retested several weeks later, none had detectable fluoxetine levels. Two infants had detectable concentrations of clonazepam, including 1 infant with hyperbilirubinemia. Clonazepam levels were not detectable in 9 other infants exposed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Agents that did not result in detectable blood levels in the infants were clomipramine, desipramine, imipramine, nortriptyline, paroxetine, sertraline, and valproic acid. None of the mothers reported any symptoms of drug exposure in the babies.

Birnbaum C, et al: Serum concentrations of antidepressants and benzodiazepines in nursing infants: a case series. Pediatrics 1999;104 (July):e11. From Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and other institutions. Funded by the van Ameringen Foundation; and the National Association for Research in Schizophrenia and Depression.

Drug Trade Names: clonazepam—Klonopin; clomipramine—Anafranil; desipramine—Norpramin, Pertofrane; fluoxetine—Prozac; imipramine—Janimine, Tofranil; nortriptyline—Aventyl, Pamelor; paroxetine—Paxil; sertraline—Zoloft; trifluoperazine—Stelazine; valproic acid—Depakene

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts October 1999

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Fluoxetine, Carbamazepine, and Breastfeeding


A 32-year-old woman with bipolar disorder took 20 mg/day fluoxetine, 300 mg carbamazepine b.i.d., and 15 mg buspirone t.i.d. throughout her pregnancy and postpartum period. At 42 weeks gestation, she delivered a normally developed female infant. Against medical advice, the mother exclusively breastfed the infant for 3 weeks. Analysis of the infant’s serum showed adult therapeutic levels of fluoxetine on day 21 and of norfluoxetine (a metabolite) on days 13 and 21; levels of carbamazepine were very low, and buspirone was not detectable.

At 3 weeks of age, at about the time she was switched from breast milk to formula feeding, the infant reportedly had three 60–90-sec episodes during which her eyes rolled back, her arms stretched out, and she became limp. The mother related brief episodes of the baby becoming limp and unresponsive 10–12 times a week at 4 months of age, and at 5 months of age the baby experienced peripheral cyanosis that lasted 10–15 min. However, none of these episodes was observed by medical personnel, and extensive inpatient evaluations of the infant were unremarkable. At 1 year of age, she was developing normally and her earlier seizure-like episodes remained unexplained.

Clinical Implications: If a woman elects to breastfeed during antidepressant therapy, current evidence supports first-line use of a tricyclic antidepressant. If she requires an agent with major effects on serotonin, both clomipramine and sertraline are reasonable alternatives. Although no major adverse reaction has been proven, the FDA recommends that fluoxetine not be given to nursing mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics considers carbamazepine to be safe.

Brent N, Wisner K: Fluoxetine and carbamazepine concentration in a nursing mother/infant pair. Clinical Pediatrics 1998;37 (January):41–44. From the Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.

Drug Trade Names: buspirone—BuSpar; carbamazepine—Epitol, Tegretol; clomipramine—Anafranil; fluoxetine—Prozac; sertraline—Zoloft

From Psychiatry Drug Alerts May 1998

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