I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Darbepoetin alfa? Is Darbepoetin alfa safe for nursing mother and child? Does Darbepoetin alfa extracts into breast milk? Does Darbepoetin alfa has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Darbepoetin alfa influence milk supply or can Darbepoetin alfa decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
The excretion of Darbepoetin alfa alfa in breastmilk or its effects on breastfed infants have not been studied. However, erythropoietin is a normal component of human milk and Darbepoetin alfa is immunologically and biologically indistinguishable from native erythropoietin. Intravenous Darbepoetin alfa has been given safely to newborn infants in doses much larger than those expected to appear in breastmilk. No special precautions are required during breastfeeding.
Enhancement of gastrointestinal tract maturation has been proposed as a function of erythropoietin in breastmilk.[1][8]
In small studies, epoetin alfa administration decreased serum prolactin in patients with amylotrophic lateral sclerosis,[9] but had no effect in normal subjects or in patients with renal failure undergoing chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.[10][11] The prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
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