Question

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

Didanosine lactation summary

Didanosine is unsafe in breastfeeding
  • DrLact safety Score for Didanosine is 5 out of 8 which is considered Unsafe as per our analyses.
  • A safety Score of 5 indicates that usage of Didanosine may cause serious side effects in breastfed baby.
  • Our study of different scientific research indicates that Didanosine may cause moderate to high side effects or may affect milk supply in lactating mother.
  • Our suggestion is to use safer alternate options rather than using Didanosine .
  • It is recommended to evaluate the advantage of not breastfeeding while using Didanosine Vs not using Didanosine And continue breastfeeding.
  • While using Didanosine Its must to monitor 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 Didanosine usage in lactation

Anti-HIV drug. It has been used to treat children older than 3 mo of age. Mothers must be adviced that transmission of HIV infection through breastfeeding has been documented.

Answer by DrLact: About Didanosine usage in lactation

In the United States and other developed countries, HIV-infected mothers should generally not breastfeed their infants. No published information is available on the use of didanosine during breastfeeding. In countries in which no acceptable, feasible, sustainable and safe replacement feeding is available, World Health Organization guidelines recommend that all women with an HIV infection who are pregnant or breastfeeding should be maintained on antiretroviral therapy for at least the duration of risk for mother-to-child transmission. Mothers should exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first 6 months of life; breastfeeding with complementary feeding should continue through at least 12 months of life up to 24 months of life.[1] The first choice regimen for nursing mothers is tenofovir, efavirenz and either lamivudine or emtricitabine. If these drugs are unavailable, alternative regimens include: 1) zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz; 2) zidovudine, lamivudine and nevirapine; or 3) tenofovir, nevirapine and either lamivudine or emtricitabine. Exclusively breastfed infants should also receive 6 weeks of prophylaxis with nevirapine.[2][3]

Alternate Drugs

Indinavir(Unsafe)
Nelfinavir(Unsafe)
Ritonavir(Unsafe)
Tenofovir(Safe)
Efavirenz(Unsafe)
Didanosine(Unsafe)
Abacavir(Safe)
Zidovudine(Low Risk)
Nevirapine(Low Risk)
Saquinavir(Unsafe)
Saquinavir(Unsafe)
Demeclocycline(Low Risk)
Ganciclovir(Low Risk)
Moxifloxacin(Low Risk)
Primaquine(Low Risk)
Lindane(Unsafe)
Cefixime(Safe)
Atovaquone(Low Risk)
Cefepime(Safe)
Indinavir(Unsafe)
Famciclovir(Low Risk)
Methicillin(Low Risk)
Nelfinavir(Unsafe)
Linezolid(Low Risk)
Econazole(Safe)
Erythromycin(Low Risk)
Meropenem(Safe)
Cefdinir(Safe)
Clindamycin(Low Risk)
Cefazolin(Safe)
Lomefloxacin(Low Risk)
Ritonavir(Unsafe)
Tenofovir(Safe)
Levofloxacin(Low Risk)
Dapsone(Low Risk)
Cefaclor(Safe)
Efavirenz(Unsafe)
Kanamycin(Safe)
Capreomycin(Low Risk)
Acyclovir(Safe)
Ertapenem(Safe)
Quinine(Safe)
Amantadine(Low Risk)
Cefprozil(Safe)
Aztreonam(Safe)
Rifaximin(Safe)
Didanosine(Unsafe)
Malathion(Low Risk)
Naftifine(Safe)
Gatifloxacin(Low Risk)
Ofloxacin(Safe)
Cefoxitin(Safe)
Abacavir(Safe)
Enoxacin(Low Risk)
Zidovudine(Low Risk)
Cefotetan(Safe)
Doxycycline(Low Risk)
Valganciclovir(Low Risk)
Neomycin(Safe)
Nevirapine(Low Risk)
Amikacin(Safe)
Nafcillin(Safe)
Ritonavir(Unsafe)
Tenofovir(Safe)
Efavirenz(Unsafe)
Didanosine(Unsafe)
Abacavir(Safe)
Zidovudine(Low Risk)
Nevirapine(Low Risk)
Saquinavir(Unsafe)
Indinavir(Unsafe)
Nelfinavir(Unsafe)
Indinavir(Unsafe)
Nelfinavir(Unsafe)
Famciclovir(Low Risk)
Ribavirin(Low Risk)
Zanamivir(Safe)
Ritonavir(Unsafe)
Tenofovir(Safe)
Efavirenz(Unsafe)
Velpatasvir(Low Risk)
Simeprevir(Low Risk)
Acyclovir(Safe)
Sofosbuvir(Low Risk)
Amantadine(Low Risk)
Didanosine(Unsafe)
Ledipasvir(Low Risk)
Ombitasvir(Low Risk)
Abacavir(Safe)
Zidovudine(Low Risk)
Nevirapine(Low Risk)
Valganciclovir(Low Risk)
Daclatasvir(Low Risk)
Saquinavir(Unsafe)
Dasabuvir(Low Risk)
Ganciclovir(Low Risk)
Tenofovir(Safe)
Efavirenz(Unsafe)
Didanosine(Unsafe)
Abacavir(Safe)
Zidovudine(Low Risk)
Nevirapine(Low Risk)
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.