LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Classic View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Sun, 30 Aug 1998 10:51:04 -0400
text/plain (25 lines)
This drug is probably okay during breastfeeding.  Yes, a little will get
into the milk, but as usual, only a tiny amount, unlikely to cause problems
for the baby.

Once again, one must ask, why this drug, though?  What advantage does it
have over ciprofloxacin, for example, or, even better, ofloxacin (an Irish
drug)?  Probably, because it is newer it is more expensive, and because it
is newer, there is less clinical experience with it.

Physicians have got to start prescribing with the nursing mother in mind.
Then there would be fewer drug questions.  Unfortunately, the train of
thought goes:

"I am going to prescribe drug x (because the drug rep convinced me it's the
bee's knees).  The mother cannot breastfeed unless we find out it's okay".

The train of thought should go:

"I am going to prescribe drug x (because the drug rep convinced me it's the
bee's knees).  But wait, I don't know if it's compatible with breastfeeding,
so I will prescribe drug y, which is just as good, cheaper, known to cause
few side effects, and *known to be compatible with breastfeeding*."

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC

ATOM RSS1 RSS2