Is Cipro Safe in Breastfeeding

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

Quinolone-related medication has been used in neonates and infants without known side effects. It is excreted in tiny amounts into breast milk. Absorption through the child’s gut may be interfered by calcium in the milk. Should it be prescribed to a nursing mother Norfloxacine, Ofloxacine and Ciproe are to be chosen since they have shown a lowest excretion into the milk. One case of pseudomembranose colitis, possibly related to mother ingestion of Ciporfloxacine, in a premature infant has been described who previously was affected of NEC, Follow-up for diarrhea in the infant is warranted. Be aware of false negative bacterial cultures in the infant when the mother is on antibiotics. The American Academy of Pediatrics rates it compatible with breastfeeding.

Amounts of Cipro in breastmilk are low. Fluoroquinolones such as Cipro have traditionally not been used in infants because of concern about adverse effects on the infants' developing joints. However, studies indicate little risk.[1] The calcium in milk might decrease absorption of the small amounts of fluoroquinolones in milk,[2] but, insufficient data exist to prove or disprove this assertion. Use of Cipro is acceptable in nursing mothers with monitoring of the infant for possible effects on the gastrointestinal flora, such as diarrhea or candidiasis (thrush, diaper rash). Avoiding breastfeeding for 3 to 4 hours after a dose should decrease the exposure of the infant to Cipro in breastmilk. Maternal use of an ear drop or eye drop that contains Cipro presents negligible risk for the nursing infant. To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 1 minute or more, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue.

A case of pseudomembranous colitis in a 2-month-old breastfed infant with a history of necrotizing enterocolitis was probably caused by maternal self-treatment with Cipro.[6] Cipro was used as part of multi-drug regimens to treat three pregnant women with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Their three infants were breastfed (extent and duration not stated). At age 1.25, 1.8 and 3.9 years, the children were developing normally except for one who had failure to thrive, possibly due to tuberculosis contracted after birth.[7]