Question

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

Docusate Calcium lactation summary

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

Anionic surfactant that acts as an emollient laxative. It is also used to treat the retention of ear cerumen. It is minimally absorbed in the duodenum-jejunum and excreted in the bile. No problems have been observed in infants whose mothers were treated, except one case of diarrhea that was possibly due to other laxative medication took by the mother (Greenhalf 1973). The Institute at the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) consideres it to be compatible while breastfeeding (Mahadevan 2006).

Answer by DrLact: About Docusate Calcium usage in lactation

Docusate is minimally absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and therefore the drug is unlikely to be found in the maternal serum or breastmilk. Laxatives that are completely unabsorbed may be preferred.[2]

Docusate Calcium Side Effects in Breastfeeding

In a randomized, blinded trial, 35 postpartum breastfeeding patients received a laxative containing docusate in a dose of 120 mg daily in addition to danthron 100 mg daily. One patient stated that diarrhea occurred in her breastfed infant.[1] The diarrhea was most likely caused by the danthron.
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.