Question

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

Answer by DrLact: About Liotrix usage in lactation

Liotrix is a mixture of levothyroxine (T4) and liothyronine (T3), which are normal components of human milk. Limited data on exogenous replacement doses of levothyroxine during breastfeeding indicate no adverse effects in infants. No information is available on the use of exogenous liothyronine during breastfeeding. The American Thyroid Association recommends that subclinical and overt hypothyroidism should be treated with levothyroxine in lactating women seeking to breastfeed.[1] Thyroid dosage requirement may be increased in the postpartum period compared to prepregnancy requirements patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.[2]

Liotrix Side Effects in Breastfeeding

Effects of exogenous thyroid hormone administration to mothers on their infant have not been reported. One case of apparent mitigation of cretinism in hypothyroid infants by breastfeeding has been reported, but the amounts of thyroid hormones in milk are not optimal,[9] and this result has been disputed.[10] The thyroid hormone content of human milk from the mothers of very preterm infants appears not to be sufficient to affect the infants' thyroid status.[11] The amounts of thyroid hormones in milk are apparently not sufficient to interfere with diagnosis of hypothyroidism.[12] In a telephone follow-up study, 5 nursing mothers reported taking levothyroxine (dosage unspecified). The mothers reported no adverse reactions in their infants.[13] One mother with who had undergone a thyroidectomy was taking levothyroxine 100 mcg daily as well as calcium carbonate and calcitriol. Her breastfed infant was reportedly "thriving" at 3 months of age.[14]

Liotrix Possible Effects in Breastfeeding

Adequate thyroid hormone serum levels are required for normal lactation. Replacing deficient thyroid levels should improve milk production caused by hypothyroidism. Supraphysiologic doses would not be expected to further improve lactation.

Alternate Drugs

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