Is Clozaril Safe in Breastfeeding
Question
I am a breastfeeding mother and i want to know if it is safe to use Clozaril? Is Clozaril safe for nursing mother and child? Does Clozaril extracts into breast milk? Does Clozaril has any long term or short term side effects on infants? Can Clozaril influence milk supply or can Clozaril decrease milk supply in lactating mothers?
Clozaril lactation summary
- DrLact safety Score for Clozaril is 3 out of 8 which is considered Low Risk as per our analyses.
- A safety Score of 3 indicates that usage of Clozaril may cause some minor side effects in breastfed baby.
- Our study of different scientific research indicates that Clozaril may cause moderate to no side effects in lactating mother.
- Most of scientific studies and research papers declaring usage of Clozaril low risk in breastfeeding are based on normal dosage and may not hold true for higher dosage.
- While using Clozaril We suggest monitoring 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 Clozaril usage in lactation
We are working on a comment for this product.
Answer by DrLact: About Clozaril usage in lactation
Because there is little published experience with Clozaril during breastfeeding, and sedation and adverse hematologic effects have been reported in breastfed infants, other agents are preferred.[1] If breastfeeding is undertaken by a mother who is taking Clozaril, close monitoring of the infant for excessive sedation and periodic monitoring of the infant's white blood cell count is advisable. Several authoritative sources recommend that women taking Clozaril not breastfeed.[2][3][4]
Clozaril Side Effects in Breastfeeding
Among 4 infants who were breastfed by mothers taking Clozaril, 1 infant experienced drowsiness and 1 infant experienced agranulocytosis possibly caused by Clozaril. Details of the cases are lacking.[7] A healthy female infant was born to a mother who took Clozaril 100 mg daily throughout pregnancy and lactation. She was breastfed (extent not stated) up to 1 year of age. The infant developed normally except for speech which was delayed considerably. She did not achieve normal, fluent speech until the age of 5 years. The delayed speech development was possibly related to Clozaril in breastmilk, but it could have been the result of exposure to the drug during gestation or could have been unrelated to Clozaril.[8] One woman who took Clozaril 100 mg daily in late pregnancy and postpartum partially breastfed her infant for 5 days. No neurodevelopmental disorders were detected in the infant after 32 months of follow-up.[6]
Clozaril Possible Effects in Breastfeeding
Unlike the phenothiazines, Clozaril has a minimal effect on maternal serum prolactin levels.[9][10] However, a woman who had been taking Clozaril plus high-dose haloperidol developed hyperprolactinemia and severe galactorrhea 2 weeks after stopping haloperidol and 4 days after starting valproic acid. A dose of cabergoline normalized her serum prolactin and galactorrhea ceased for the following 2 months of observation.[11] The maternal prolactin level in a mother with established lactation may not affect her ability to breastfeed.
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