Question

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

(General Anesthesia) lactation summary

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

Most anesthetics are eliminated rapidly hence the mother can nurse her infant immediately after she has recovered from anesthesia and general conditions allow it. See in this web page the specific agent to be used. See below the information of this related group:

Alternate Drugs for Anesthetics, general. ATC N01A.

Alfentanil(Safe)
Remifentanil(Low Risk)
Sufentanil(Low Risk)
Methohexital(Safe)
Propofol(Safe)
Halothane(Safe)
Nitrous Oxide(Low Risk)
Sevoflurane(Safe)
Ketamine(Low Risk)
Ether(Low Risk)
Sufentanil Citrate(Low Risk)
Thiopental-Sodium(Safe)
Laughing Gas(Low Risk)
Diethyl ether(Low Risk)
Anaesthetic Ether(Low Risk)
Ethoxyethane(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.