I just had a very unusual request for information that I hope someone
here can comment on.  It seems this mother was accidentally given a
potentially lethal dose of Selenium ( 1000 mg. Sodium Selenite) when she
was 8 weeks pregnant.  This was 5 months ago.  The baby is due in
December and apparently is OK at this point.  Two other women who also
accidentally received this dose died, but this mother luckily recovered
although she lost her stomach lining and was near death at the time.
Selenium is no longer showing up in her blood or urine, however her ANA
level (anti-nuclear antibodies?) is 1000.  She was told the level should
be 40, and that her level is similar to a woman with Lupus.  She wants to
know what effect this might have on breastfeeding her baby and what
exactly does the ANA level mean, especially as it might pertain to
breastfeeding the baby.  She plans to have her milk tested for Selenium
after the birth.  Are there any other concerns?

TIA
Kris Rogers, RN, BSN,IBCLC
Crystal Lake, Il
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