Is Ribavirin Safe in Breastfeeding
Question
I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Ribavirin? Is Ribavirin safe for nursing mother and child? Does Ribavirin extracts into breast milk? Does Ribavirin has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Ribavirin influence milk supply or can Ribavirin decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
Ribavirin lactation summary
- DrLact safety Score for Ribavirin is 3 out of 8 which is considered Low Risk as per our analyses.
- A safety Score of 3 indicates that usage of Ribavirin may cause some minor side effects in breastfed baby.
- Our study of different scientific research indicates that Ribavirin may cause moderate to no side effects in lactating mother.
- Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Ribavirin low risk in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
- While using Ribavirin We suggest monitoring child for possible reactions. It is also important to understand that side effects vary largely based on age of breastfed child and time of medication in addition to dosage.
- Score calculated using the DrLact safety Version 1.2 model, this score ranges from 0 to 8 and measures overall safety of drug in lactation. Scores are primarily calculated using publicly available case studies, research papers, other scientific journals and publically available data.
Answer by Dr. Ru: About Ribavirin usage in lactation
Synthetic drug and nucleoside analogue which is structurally related to guanine with antiviral activity. It is used in infants and newborns for treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. Along with interferon for treatment of hepatitis C (authorized on these cases from the 3 years of life). At latest update no published data on excretion into breast milk were found. Its large volume of distribution makes it unlikely that may occur the passage of significant amounts to the milk. Its low oral bioavailability hinder the passage toward infant’s plasma from ingested milk, except in preterm milk and immediate neonatal period, for which there may be an increased intestinal permeability. Since it is used as treatment on infants and its pharmacokinetic data are favorable, it should be regarded as compatible with breastfeeding for short-term exposures, however, to be cautiously used on long-term treatments.
Answer by DrLact: About Ribavirin usage in lactation
Ribavirin has not been studied in nursing mothers being treated for hepatitis C infection. However, ribavirin is given directly to infants by inhalation to treat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The amount in milk is likely to be lower than the doses received by infants treated with ribavirin for RSV infection. Hepatitis C is not transmitted through breastmilk[1][2] and breastmilk has been shown to inactivate hepatitis C virus (HCV).[3][4] However, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that mothers with HCV infection should consider abstaining from breastfeeding if their nipples are cracked or bleeding. It is not clear if this warning would apply to mothers who are being treated for hepatitis C. Infants born to mothers with HCV infection should be tested for HCV infection; because maternal antibody is present for the first 18 months of life and before the infant mounts an immunologic response, nucleic acid testing is recommended.[1][2]
Alternate Drugs
Acyclovir(Safe)
Lamivudine(Safe)
Ledipasvir(Low Risk)
Indinavir(Unsafe)
Ombitasvir(Low Risk)
Daclatasvir(Low Risk)
Emtricitabine(Safe)
Zanamivir(Safe)
Dasabuvir(Low Risk)
Efavirenz(Unsafe)
Zidovudine(Low Risk)
Didanosine(Unsafe)
Tenofovir(Safe)
Saquinavir(Unsafe)
Ribavirin(Low Risk)
Abacavir(Safe)
Valganciclovir(Low Risk)
Ritonavir(Unsafe)
Oseltamivir(Safe)
Ganciclovir(Low Risk)
Amantadine(Low Risk)
Nevirapine(Low Risk)
Velpatasvir(Low Risk)
Nelfinavir(Unsafe)
Penciclovir(Safe)
Simeprevir(Low Risk)
Famciclovir(Low Risk)
Sofosbuvir(Low Risk)