- At the 156th meeting of the American Psychiatric Association held in San Francisco, California in May 2003, Norwegian scientists reported their findings that there are newer antidepressants that do not significantly cross into the milk of breastfeeding mothers.
- The types of drugs that do not cross into mother's breastmilk are in the SSRI category. SSRI stands for "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor." Serotonin is a chemical in people's brains that signals happiness or good feeling. The SSRIs inhibit the brain from "reuptaking," or cleaning up the serotonin. When the serotonin is allowed to stay on the brain, good feelings continue.
- There are quite a few different SSRI drugs. Prozac was one of the first, and so its name is well known. Others include Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, and Effexor. These five drugs were mentioned in the Norwegian study as being relatively safe while breastfeeding because the drugs did not cross into mother's milk.
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Each of these drugs has side effects. Each has its own qualities, some are unique to the brand and others are common among all SSRIs.
It is extremely important that anyone, whether breastfeeding or not, consult with a doctor and answer any questions the doctor asks fully and truthfully.
Be sure to ask the doctor for a full explanation of possible side effects before taking a drug.
Some side effects associated with SSRIs include reduced libido and dry mouth. Some SSRIs are "Class C" drugs which means (among other things) that they may carry a risk for the baby. Increased sleepiness has been noted in nursing children whose mothers are taking anti-depressants. It is up to the patient and her physician to determine whether risks outweigh the benefits, or vice versa. -
The Norwegian findings were a single study involving 23 mothers. Blood samples showed that both breast milk and infants' blood showed traces of drugs in amounts that researchers called not "significant." A 2009 study by British pharmacists, however, cautions against premature and babies with respiratory problems drinking milk with drug traces and that all infants should be watched for signs of sedation, poor feeding and behavioral effects.
A highly depressed mother may not be able to care for her baby as well as a mother not suffering from depression. The risk benefit analysis with these SSRIs may find that both mother and baby are better off with medication, but that is an individual choice that must be made with a doctor.
