Kathleen A wrote :
"Happily for those of us who did not know the answer, we were able to ask a
relative of one of the conference organizers.  He is a physician in
infectious disease.  He statesS the vaccine used by the (US) military is a
"killed vaccine" and shouldn't cause any problems at all with the child of a
nursing mother." This information was further verified by his pediatric
counterpart at the same medical center, who concurred in this conclusion."

My husband (Operations and Management Consultant for the State of Florida
Bureau of Immunization) tells me the vaccine package insert states there is
not enough data available to determine its safety while breastfeeding.   In
theory, the pediatrician's statements are correct:  killed vaccine is not a
contraindication for breastfeeding.   However, anthrax is not a widely used,
repeatedly tested vaccine.  According to the Vaccine Specialist at NAS
(Naval Air Station) Pensacola, active duty personnel do not HAVE to receive
the vaccine until they are ready to deploy at which time BF is terminated
anyway.  Therefore, risk (well, from the vaccine anyway) to the infant is
eliminated.

Theresa Chmiel, CLC, ICCE
(and David, OMC)
Pensacola, FL


----- Original Message -----
From: Kathleen G. Auerbach <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 22, 1999 6:53 PM
Subject: anthrax vaccine and breastfeeding


For those of you with contacts with military personnel (including women in
military who may be shipped out to various "hot spots"), the following
information may be of use to you.

At a conference I participated in mid-March, the question arose: will
vaccination to combat anthrax in any way affect a breastfeeding baby of a
mother who receives said vaccination?

Happily for those of us who did not know the answer, we were able to ask a
relative of one of the conference organizers.  He is a physician in
infectious disease.  He statesS the vaccine used by the (US) military is a
"killed vaccine" and shouldn't cause any problems at all with the child of
a nursing mother." This information was further verified by his pediatric
counterpart at the same medical center, who concurred in this conclusion.

Feel free to pass this information on to whomever might need it.

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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
disguised as impossible situations."
Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
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