Question

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

Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel lactation summary

Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel usage has low risk in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel is 3 out of 8 which is considered Low Risk as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 3 indicates that usage of Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel may cause some minor side effects in breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research indicates that Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel may cause moderate to no side effects in lactating mother.
  • Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel low risk in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
  • While using Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel We suggest monitoring child for possible reactions. It is also important to understand that side effects vary largely based on age of breastfed child and time of medication in addition to 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 Ethinylestradiol + Etonogestrel usage in lactation

Birth control pill that contains the combination of an estrogen (Ethinyl estradiol) and a progestin (Etonogestrel) for use as a vaginal ring (for 3 weeks) or as a subcutaneous implant (for 3 months). Ethinylestradiol is a synthetic estrogen with similar action than estradiol. Used in combination with progestogens for contraception.Ethinylestradiol is excreted into the breast milk in no or small amount.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 ethinyl 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. Etonogestrel is the active metabolite of Desogestrel. It is used as a contraceptive, alone or in combination with Ethinyl estradiol. It is excreted into milk in small quantities. No problems have been observed in infants whose mothers were using it. No differences were observed in the frequency of breastfeeding or the amount of milk produced or weight gain of infants nursed by mothers using mixed implants containing Ethinyl estradiol and Etonogestrel over other contraceptive methods (intrauterine devices, isolated progestogens). However, it would be advisable to avoid them until breastfeeding is well established (4-6 weeks). During lactation, progestin-only contraceptive pills are preferred to Estrogen containing ones, otherwise, the lowest estrogen dose should be used.During the first 6 postpartum weeks, non-hormonal methods are in the first line of choice. Hormone containing contraceptives do not affect the composition of milk, minerals (Mg, Fe, Cu, Ca, P) fat, lactose and calories but only a few the proteins.
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