Question

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

Dextropropoxyphen lactation summary

Dextropropoxyphen is safe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Dextropropoxyphen is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of Dextropropoxyphen is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research also indicates that Dextropropoxyphen does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Dextropropoxyphen safe in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher 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 Dextropropoxyphen usage in lactation

We are working on a comment for this product.

Answer by DrLact: About Dextropropoxyphen usage in lactation

Maternal use of oral narcotics during breastfeeding can cause infant drowsiness, central nervous system depression and even death. Newborn infants seem to be particularly sensitive to the effects of even small dosages of Dextropropoxyphen may be particularly prone to causing these effects. Dextropropoxyphen should be avoided during breastfeeding.[1]

Dextropropoxyphen Side Effects in Breastfeeding

In a case-control study of 12 breastfed term newborns with unexplained episodes of apnea, bradycardia or cyanosis during the first week of life, maternal oral Dextropropoxyphen use was determined to be the probable cause. A higher proportion of newborns with episodes, 83 compared to 31%, had mothers using opiates, including Dextropropoxyphen, for postpartum analgesia. The mean number of doses taken was also higher with mothers of affected newborns taking a mean of 10 doses (range 4 to 22) compared to 5 doses (range 1 to 13) in the control group.[4] A fullterm breastfed infant had mild hypotonia and nursing poorly at 10 days of age; the infant had not regained her birth weight by this time. By 7 days later, the mother had less milk and stopped nursing. The infant's mother had been prescribed 6 capsules daily of Dextropropoxyphen 30 mg plus acetaminophen 500 mg for the first 10 days postpartum. Hair samples from the infant were positive for Dextropropoxyphen and norDextropropoxyphen and were higher than the mother's hair sample concentrations.[5] Dextropropoxyphen was probably the cause of the adverse reactions in the infant. All adverse reactions in breastfed infants reported in France between January 1985 and June 2011 were compiled by a French pharmacovigilance center. Of 174 reports, Dextropropoxyphen was reported to cause adverse reactions in 11 infants and to be one of the drugs most often suspected in serious adverse reactions. Reactions included hypotonia, apnea, respiratory distress, bradycardia, constipation and weight loss.[6]

Dextropropoxyphen Possible Effects in Breastfeeding

Narcotics can increase serum prolactin.[7] However, the prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.

Alternate Drugs

Remifentanil(Low Risk)
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Fentanyl(Safe)
Pentazocine(Low Risk)
Oxycodone(Unsafe)
Butorphanol(Low Risk)
Heroin(Dangerous)
Morphine(Low Risk)
Methadone(Safe)
Tramadol(Safe)
Meperidine(Low Risk)
Sufentanil(Low Risk)
Hydrocodone(Low Risk)
Fentanyl(Safe)
Pentazocine(Low Risk)
Codeine(Unsafe)
Oxycodone(Unsafe)
Butorphanol(Low Risk)
Heroin(Dangerous)
Morphine(Low Risk)
Dihydrocodeine(Low Risk)
Methadone(Safe)
Tramadol(Safe)
Meperidine(Low Risk)
Sufentanil(Low Risk)
Remifentanil(Low Risk)
Disclaimer: Information presented in this database is not meant as a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. We do not warrant or assume any liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information on this Site.