Is 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol Safe in Breastfeeding

I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol? Is 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol safe for nursing mother and child? Does 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol extracts into breast milk? Does 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol influence milk supply or can 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?

Synthetic estrogen that has a similar action as estradiol. Used in combination with progestogens for contraception. Ethinylestradiol is excreted in small or no amount into breast milk.There is evidence (albeit inconsistent) that estrogen-containing pills may decrease milk production, especially during the first few weeks postpartum with a daily dose above 30 micrograms of 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol.It may reduce the protein content of the milk.No problems have been observed in infants whose mothers were treated, except some cases of transient gynecomastia in infants whose mothers were receiving a higher dose than usual. During lactation progestin-only drugs are preferred or in combination with estrogen for birth control, but whatever, the ones with the lower doses of estrogen should be used.For the first 6 weeks postpartum, non-hormonal methods are of choise.

This record contains information specific to 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol used alone. Users with an interest in an oral contraceptive should consult the record entitled, "Contraceptives, Oral, Combined."There is little information available on the use of 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol alone during breastfeeding. Levels in milk appear to be low. Based on studies on oral contraceptives that contain 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol, immediate side effects such as breast enlargement appear to occur rarely. It seems likely that doses of 30 mcg daily or greater can suppress lactation. The magnitude of the effect on lactation likely depends on the dose and the time of introduction postpartum, but data are not adequate to accurately define these doses and times.

Published information was not found as of the revision date on the effects of 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol alone on breastfed infants. However, case reports exist of breast enlargement in the infants of mothers taking combination oral contraceptives that contained 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol or its prodrug, mestranol.[1][3][4][5]

Published information was not found as of the revision date on the effects of 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol on milk production. However, numerous studies on combination contraceptives containing 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol or its prodrug mestranol indicate that doses of 30 mcg daily or greater might interfere with lactation.[6][7][8][9][10][11] One study that used a contraceptive containing 10 mcg of 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol found no effect on lactation.[12]A retrospective cohort study compared 371 women who received high-dose estrogen (either 3 mg of diethylstilbestrol or 150 mcg of 17alpha-Ethinyl-17beta-estradiol daily)during adolescence for adult height reduction to 409 women who did not receive estrogen. No difference in breastfeeding duration was found between the two groups, indicating that high-dose estrogen during adolescence has no effect on later breastfeeding.[13]