Codeine may be unsafe for some breastfeeding moms
Pain treatments that contain codeine may not be safe for all mothers who breastfeed their infants, according to a report in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Pain treatments that contain codeine may not be safe for all mothers who breastfeed their infants, according to a report in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Researchers enrolled 72 women who took a codeine-containing drug after birth while breastfeeding. Seventeen babies had shown signs of a depressed central nervous system, including sleeping too long, not waking up for feedings, and not feeding well.
In most people, only a small portion of codeine is broken down into morphine. But the body systems of certain people called "ultra-metabolizers" convert much more of it, and in women, this amount can find its way into breast milk, the researchers explained.
Only three of the women in the study were ultra-metabolizers, although babies breastfed by the remaining 14 were still affected by codeine.
Higher pregnancy risks associated with maternal hidradenitis suppurativa
November 8th 2024A study of over 1 million births in Quebec reveals that pregnant women with hidradenitis suppurativa face increased risks of pregnancy complications and long-term health issues for both themselves and their offspring.
