Question

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

Answer by DrLact: About Proferrin usage in lactation

Limited data indicate that breastmilk iron is not increased after intravenous infusion of Proferrin. Amounts of iron ingested by the infant would be normal and are not expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants. The oral form of the drug, called sucroferric oxyhydroxide and used as a phosphate binder, is not orally absorbed it is unlikely to reach the breastmilk or adversely affect the breastfed infant. No special precautions are required. Pasteurization of milk by the Holder method reduces the concentration of iron in milk by about 6.5%.[1]

Proferrin Side Effects in Breastfeeding

In a study of 104 women with postpartum anemia, 78 women received 300 mg of intravenous Proferrin over 3 days. All women were breastfeeding and had amenorrhea. No adverse reactions were reported in their infants.[3]
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