Yes, Remicade (infliximab) is safe for breastfeeding. There are a number
of studies cited on Lactmed which support this. 

The reasons for it's safety in breastfeeding this are three: 
1. Infliximab is a very large molecule, and should be too large to pass
into the breast milk from the blood(molecular weight of approximately
149,100). Of the several studies cited in the literature, infliximab was
only detected in the milk of one mother. (So in this one Mom, maybe she
was bleeding into her milk and was not aware?)
2. Infliximab is a delicate protein and would be destroyed in the
stomach. In must be given by injection.
3. Infliximab is a very large molecule, and even if it somehow survived
and made it to the intestine, it would be too large to be absorbed into
the blood stream.

This is of special interest to me, as I started taking Remicade while
breastfeeding. Since there wasn't much data available at the time, I and
my son participated in a study of over 10 dyads assessed by some folks
at the University of Chicago (which I have been unable to find in the
literature, it seems it was not published). We submitted samples of my
milk, my blood, and his blood, and the data showed that the medication
was not found either in my milk or in my baby. 

Laura Block, PharmD



Date:    Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:11:36 -0400
From:    purple <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: remicade

Is it safe to breastfeed after remicade infusion?Pt is getting Remicade
i= nfusion=20 every 8 weeks.should she dump her milk?

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