My doctor recently ordered a CT scan to figure out whether some nodules in and around my thyroid are cancerous. When I called the medical imaging facility to schedule the CT scan, I asked about what would be in the IV and how it would affect my breastfeeding relationship.
While the tech could not tell me exactly what was in the medicine they would inject me with, she gave me the brand name: Isovue-370. Isovue-370 is a contrast agent that contains iodine. It is injected to allow the radiologist to see non-bony tissues and organs more clearly in the CT scan.
The tech said that their facility recommends breastfeeding moms pump and dump for 48 hours following a CT scan.
48 hours. Two days of not nursing my baby who has never taken a bottle in her life? Two days of not nursing my co-sleeping, boob-loving baby? I could not believe it.
I called my friend, a lactation consultant, and asked if she would check her copy of Hale?s Medications and Mothers? Milk: A Manual of Lactational Pharmacology. What she found reassured me: Isovue-370 is a level 3 medication, generally considered ?probably safe? for breastfeeding mothers (?There have been no controlled studies in breastfeeding women; however, the riskof untoward effects to a breastfed infant is possible, or controlled studies only show minimal non-threatening adverse effects.?). Most reassuring?
The American Association of Radiologists does not recommend any cessation of breastfeeding after a mother receives a normal dose of Isovue-370 for a CT scan.
You can read more about the use of radioisotopes and other imaging agents at Kellymom.com, but the consensus is the same ? there was no reason for me to pump and dump at all after my CT scan.
The majority of doctors, techs and other medical professionals do not receive continuing education on breastfeeding at all, much less on the potential effects of medications on breastfeeding. Heck, there is one story of a doctor recommending that a mother pump and dump after taking Reglan he had prescribed for GI issues. The irony is that mothers are prescribed Reglan to increase breastmilk supply. It normally benefits breastfeeding!
Mothers have to do their own research.
?It is not uncommon to see doctors using the Physicians Desk Reference for information on medications and nursing. This reference contains the package inserts from the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Almost across the board, they indicate that the medication should not be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding. The warning statements they use are designed to protect themselves from lawsuits.?
If possible, do not interrupt your breastfeeding relationship by abstaining from breastfeeding and/or pumping and dumping without first consulting a lactation consultant.
If you need to undergo any kind of medical testing (x-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs, CT scans, etc.) or take any kind of medication during your breastfeeding relationship, please do not solely rely only on the advice of the doctor who ordered the test or the tech who will perform it. Consult a lactation consultant, and specifically ask her to check Hale?s. Hale?s Manual is the most research-driven, current source of information on medications and breastfeeding.
Additional Resources
Can I Breastfeed If . . . ?
LactMed Database
Finding good information about medication use during lactation
Use of Radioisotopes (and other imaging agents) During Lactation
Breastfeeding and Thyroid Problems: Diagnostic Testing & Treatments
Breastfeeding and Thyroid Problems: Links
Breastfeeding and Thyroid Problems: Studies and References
Breastfeeding and Thyroid Problems: FAQ
Selected List of Medications approved by the AAP for use in breastfeeding mothers (AAP list revised 8/04)
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Photo Credit: pengrin
Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and/or information are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease. Readers are advised to do their own research and make decisions in partnership with your health care provider. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition or are taking any medication, please consult your physician. Nothing you read here should be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or courses of treatment.
Source: http://codenamemama.com/2013/02/04/medical-tests-medicines-beware-breastfeeding-booby-traps/
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