Hello everyone!

My name is Kelly Stauss and I am a nursing student at the University of
North Dakota.  I have been doing some research on whether or not it is ok
for moms to breastfeed while taking tricyclic antidepressants.  I have
found that very little amounts of tricyclics are found in the breast milk
due to its large distribution, and that no adverse affects have been
noted.  (Nice, 1990, p. 48).  In a different journal I found that because
tricyclic antidepressants are highly lipid soluble, they passively
diffuse into breastmilk.  Whether appreciable amounts are achieved in the
nursing infant is unknown.  However behavioral and cognitive function
assessments on nursing term infants from one to 22 months from start of
maternal therapy support normal development.  (Hatzopoulos, & Albrecht,
1995, p. 139).  When I looked up contraindications in a drug guide, I
found that the use of tricyclic antidepressants is contraindicated in
lactation.  (Deglin, & Vallerand, 1997, p. c16).

Can someone give me their opinion on whether or not it is safe to be
breastfeeding when you are taking tricyclic antidepressants?

Thank you
Kelly Stauss, Nursing student
University of North Dakota College of nursing.


References
Deglin, J.H. & Vallerand, A.H.  (1997).  Daviss Drug Guide for Nurses
(fifth edition).  Philadelphia:  F.A.
        Davis Company.

Nice, F.J. (1990).  Breastfeeding and medications:  and update... part
1.  Journal-of Practical Nursing,
               40(2), 39-49.

Hatzopoulos, F.K., & Albrecht, L.M.  (1996).  Antidepressant use during
pregnancy.  The
        Galactopharmocopia, 112(2), 139-141.

Mammen, O.K., Perel, J.M., Rudolph, G., Foglia, J.P. & Wheeler, S.B.
(1997).  Sertraline and
        nonsertraline in breastfed infants.  J-Clin-Psychiatry 58(3), 100-103.