Question

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Elbasvir? Is Elbasvir safe for nursing mother and child? Does Elbasvir extracts into breast milk? Does Elbasvir has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Elbasvir influence milk supply or can Elbasvir decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Answer by DrLact: About Elbasvir usage in lactation

Elbasvir has not been studied in nursing mothers being treated for hepatitis C infection. Because it is greater than 99.9% bound to maternal plasma proteins, amounts in breastmilk are likely to be very low. If elbasvir used alone or in combination with grazoprevir (Zepatier) is required by the mother, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding. Some sources recommend against breastfeeding when elbasvir is used with ribavirin. 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]
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