Question

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

(-)-Omeprazole lactation summary

(-)-Omeprazole is safe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for (-)-Omeprazole is 1 out of 8 which is considered Safe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 1 indicates that usage of (-)-Omeprazole is mostly safe during lactation for breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research also indicates that (-)-Omeprazole does not cause any serious side effects in breastfeeding mothers.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of (-)-Omeprazole 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 (-)-Omeprazole usage in lactation

S-Enantiomer of Omeprazole with which shares similar characteristics. Due to a high serum-protein-binding capacity, Omeprazole is excreted into breast milk in non-significant amount without side-effects among breastfed infants from treated mothers. Since it's neutralized by the acid pH of stomach, capsules with enteric coated granules are used. Because of this, it is thought that the small quantity of Omeprazole that may reach the breast milk would be neutralized by infant's stomach. In addition, absorption is greatly decreased by the presence of food. (-)-Omeprazole has been used for treatment of newborn and premature infants. Hyperprolactinemia and galactorrhea have been reported by the use of Omeprazole.

Answer by DrLact: About (-)-Omeprazole usage in lactation

(-)-Omeprazole is the -enantiomer of the proton-pump inhibitor, omeprazole. Limited information indicates that maternal doses of 20 mg daily produce low levels in milk and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants.

(-)-Omeprazole Side Effects in Breastfeeding

One mother taking omeprazole 20 mg daily orally pumped and discarded her milk once each day 4 hours after her morning dose. She breastfed her infant the remainder of the day for 3 months before weaning. The infant remained well at 12 months of age.[1]

(-)-Omeprazole Possible Effects in Breastfeeding

Omeprazole has been reported to cause gynecomastia in men.[2] One woman developed elevated serum prolactin and estradiol with bilateral galactorrhea one week after starting (-)-Omeprazole 40 mg once daily for reflux esophagitis. The galactorrhea disappeared 3 days after discontinuing (-)-Omeprazole and prolactin and estradiol returned to normal 7 days after discontinuation. One month later, the patient restarted (-)-Omeprazole and again developed bilateral galactorrhea. She was switched to lansoprazole with no galactorrhea developing.[3] The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
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.