Question

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

Octreotide lactation summary

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

Synthetic analog drug of somatostatin hormone with a stronger and longer effect. Iit inhibits GH. It has been used as treatment of acromegalia, pancreatitis and esophageal varices.

Answer by DrLact: About Octreotide usage in lactation

The excretion of octreotide into breastmilk has not been studied. However, because it is poorly absorbed orally and has been safely administered directly to infants by injection, it is unlikely to adversely affect the breastfed infant. One breastfed infant apparently experienced no adverse effects during maternal use of octreotide. Until more data are available, octreotide should be used in nursing mothers with careful infant monitoring, especially if the infant is under 2 months of age.

Octreotide Side Effects in Breastfeeding

One mother was treated for acromegaly during pregnancy and postpartum with octreotide (dose not stated). She breastfed (extent not stated) her infant for 4 months with no apparent problems noted in the infant.[1]
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.