Excretion of fluvoxamine into breast milk

Consensus Panel Recommendations for the Pharmacological Management of Breastfeeding Women with Postpartum Depression

INTRODUCTION

Our consensus statement aims to clarify the use of antidepressants and anxiolytics during breastfeeding amidst clinical uncertainty. Despite recent studies, potential harm to breastfed newborns from these medications remains a concern, leading to abrupt discontinuation of necessary treatments or exclusive formula feeding, depriving newborns of benefits from mother's milk.

METHODS

A panel of 16 experts, representing eight scientific societies with a keen interest in postpartum depression, was convened. Utilizing the Nominal Group Technique and following a comprehensive literature review, a consensus statement on the pharmacological treatment of breastfeeding women with depressive disorders was achieved.

RESULTS

Four key research areas were delineated: (1) The imperative to address depressive and anxiety disorders during lactation, pinpointing the risks linked to untreated maternal depression during this period. (2) The evaluation of the cumulative risk of unfavorable infant outcomes associated with exposure to antidepressants or anxiolytics. (3) The long-term impact on infants' cognitive development or behavior due to exposure to these medications during breastfeeding. (4) The assessment of pharmacological interventions for opioid abuse in lactating women diagnosed with depressive disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

The ensuing recommendations were as follows: Recommendation 1: Depressive and anxiety disorders, as well as their pharmacological treatment, are not contraindications for breastfeeding. Recommendation 2: The Panel advocates for the continuation of medication that has demonstrated efficacy during pregnancy. If initiating an antidepressant during breastfeeding is necessary, drugs with a superior safety profile and substantial epidemiological data, such as SSRIs, should be favored and prescribed at the lowest effective dose. Recommendation 3: For the short-term alleviation of anxiety symptoms and sleep disturbances, the Panel determined that benzodiazepines can be administered during breastfeeding. Recommendation 4: The Panel advises against discontinuing opioid abuse treatment during breastfeeding. Recommendation 5: The Panel endorses collaboration among specialists (e.g., psychiatrists, pediatricians, toxicologists), promoting multidisciplinary care whenever feasible. Coordination with the general practitioner is also recommended.

Infant exposure to Fluvoxamine through placenta and human milk: a case series - A contribution from the ConcePTION project

Introduction

Fluvoxamine is widely used to treat depression during pregnancy and lactation. However, limited data are available on its transfer to the fetus or in human milk. This case series provides additional information on the infant exposure to fluvoxamine during pregnancy and lactation.

Case presentation

Two women, aged 38 and 34 years, diagnosed with depression were treated with 50 mg fluvoxamine during pregnancy and lactation. At delivery a paired maternal and cord blood sample was collected for each woman. The first mother exclusively breastfed her child for 4 months and gave one foremilk and one hindmilk sample at 2 days and 4 weeks post-partum, whereas the second mother did not breastfeed.

Results

The cord to plasma concentration ratios were 0.62 and 0.48, respectively. At 2 weeks post-partum, relative infant doses (RID) were 0.47 and 0.57% based on fluvoxamine concentrations in foremilk and hindmilk, respectively. At 4 weeks post-partum, the RIDs were 0.35 and 0.90%, respectively. The child from the first mother was born healthy and showed a normal development at the 6th, 18th and 36th month follow-ups. One of the twins from the second woman was hospitalized for hypoglycemia that was attributed to gestational diabetes and low birth weight. The second one was born healthy.

Conclusion

These results suggest a minimal exposure to fluvoxamine during lactation which is in accordance with previously published data. Larger clinical and pharmacokinetic studies assessing the long-term safety of this drug during lactation and the variability of its exposure through breastmilk are warranted.

Prediction model for milk transfer of drugs by primarily evaluating the area under the curve using QSAR/QSPR

PURPOSE

Information on milk transferability of drugs is important for patients who wish to breastfeed. The purpose of this study is to develop a prediction model for milk-to-plasma drug concentration ratio based on area under the curve (M/P_AUC). The quantitative structure-activity/property relationship (QSAR/QSPR) approach was used to predict compounds involved in active transport during milk transfer.

METHODS

We collected M/P ratio data from literature, which were curated and divided into M/P_AUC ≥ 1 and M/P_AUC < 1. Using the ADMET Predictor® and ADMET Modeler™, we constructed two types of binary classification models: an artificial neural network (ANN) and a support vector machine (SVM).

RESULTS

M/P ratios of 403 compounds were collected, M/P_AUC data were obtained for 173 compounds, while 230 compounds only had M/P_non-AUC values reported. The models were constructed using 129 of the 173 compounds, excluding colostrum data. The sensitivity of the ANN model was 0.969 for the training set and 0.833 for the test set, while the sensitivity of the SVM model was 0.971 for the training set and 0.667 for the test set. The contribution of the charge-based descriptor was high in both models.

CONCLUSIONS

We built a M/P_AUC prediction model using QSAR/QSPR. These predictive models can play an auxiliary role in evaluating the milk transferability of drugs.

Antidepressant transfer into amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood & breast milk: A systematic review & combined analysis

OBJECTIVE

Data regarding the ability of antidepressants to enter fetal, newborn and infant fluids have become gradually available, but mechanisms of antidepressant transfer remain poorly understood. Here we calculated penetration ratios in an array of matrices from combined samples of pregnant/breastfeeding women taking antidepressants.

METHOD

We performed a systematic literature search of PubMed and EMBASE to identify studies with concentrations of antidepressants from maternal blood, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood and/or breast milk. Penetration ratios were calculated by dividing the concentrations in amniotic fluid, umbilical cord plasma or breast milk by the maternal plasma concentration. When data from multiple studies were available, we calculated combined penetration ratios, weighting the study mean by study size.

RESULTS

Eighty-five eligible studies were identified. For amniotic fluid, the highest penetration ratios were estimated for venlafaxine (mean 2.77, range 0.43-4.70 for the active moiety) and citalopram (mean 2.03, range 0.35-6.97), while the lowest ratios were for fluvoxamine (mean 0.10) and fluoxetine (mean 0.11, range 0.02-0.20 for the active moiety). For umbilical cord plasma, nortriptyline had the highest ratio (mean 2.97, range 0.25-26.43) followed by bupropion (mean 1.14, range 0.3-5.08). For breast milk, the highest ratios were observed for venlafaxine (mean 2.59, range 0.85-4.85), mianserin (mean 2.22, range 0.80-3.64) and escitalopram (mean 2.19, range 1.68-3.00).

CONCLUSION

We observed considerable variability across antidepressants regarding their ability to enter fetal, newborn and infant fluids. Measuring antidepressant concentrations in a maternal blood sample can provide a reliable estimate of fetal/infant exposure, although further evidence for concentration-dependent effects is required.

Quality of Lactation Studies Investigating Antidepressants

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the quality of lactation studies investigating antidepressants in breast milk according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) draft guidelines and the article by Begg et al., 2002, published in the official journal of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA). Materials and Methods: We used PubMed and LactMed^® for the literature search. Furthermore, cross references were searched for additional studies. Results: A total number of 60 articles were included for review. For selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine, only two studies correctly assessed the absolute infant dose and milk to plasma ratio; one sertraline and one fluoxetine study. Of all tricyclic antidepressants, one study for amitriptyline and one for nortriptyline assessed these endpoints correctly. We found a lack of information on breast milk sampling methods in many studies. Concentrations needed for the calculations were based on single measurements instead of at least five measurements during one dose interval, and the relative infant dose was not normalized by maternal weight, or an average maternal weight of 70 kg was used as a standard. Discussion: We conclude that the quality of the current literature on this topic does not meet the standards of the FDA. Studies of higher quality are needed to determine the extent of drug transfer to breast milk for antidepressants, so an adequate recommendation about use of these drugs during lactation can be given.

ABM Clinical Protocol #18: Use of Antidepressants in Breastfeeding Mothers

A central goal of The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine is the development of clinical protocols for managing common medical problems that may impact breastfeeding success. These protocols serve only as guidelines for the care of breastfeeding mothers and infants and do not delineate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as standards of medical care. Variations in treatment may be appropriate according to the needs of an individual patient.

Maternal medication, drug use, and breastfeeding

This article reviews the necessary skills required for clinicians to make informed decisions about the use of medications in breastfeeding women. Even without specific data on certain medications, this review of kinetic principles, mechanisms of medication entry into breast milk, and important infant factors can aid in clinical decision making. In addition, the article reviews common medical conditions (eg, depression, hypertension, infections) in breastfeeding women and their appropriate treatment.

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and breastfeeding: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

The postnatal period represents a critical phase for mothers because of physiological hormonal changes, the increase of emotional reactions and a greater susceptibility for the onset/recrudescence of psychiatric disorders. Despite the evidence of an increasing utilization of antidepressant drugs during breastfeeding, there is still few reliable information on the neonatal safety of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) [serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs)] in nursing mothers. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review on the neonatal safety profile of these drugs during breastfeeding, also assessing the limits of available tools.

METHODS

MEDLINE and PubMed databases were searched without any language restrictions by using the following set of keywords: ((SSRIs OR selective serotonin inhibitor reuptake OR SNRIs OR selective serotonin noradrenaline inhibitor reuptake) AND (breastfeeding OR lactation OR breast milk)). A separate search was also performed for each SSRIs (paroxetine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram and escitalopram) and SNRIs (venlafaxine and duloxetine).

RESULTS

Sertraline and paroxetine show a better neonatal safety profile during breastfeeding as compared with other SRIs. Less data are available for fluvoxamine, escitalopram and duloxetine. Few studies followed up infants breastfeed for assessing the neurodevelopmental outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Literature review clearly indicates paroxetine and sertraline as the drugs that should be preferred as first line choice in nursing women who need an antidepressant treatment.

Maternal medication, drug use, and breastfeeding

This article reviews the necessary skills required for clinicians to make informed decisions about the use of medications in women who are breastfeeding. Even without specific data on certain medications, this review of kinetic principles, mechanisms of medication entry into breast milk, and important infant factors can aid in clinical decision making. In addition, common medical conditions and suitable treatments of depression, hypertension, infections and so forth for women who are breastfeeding are also reviewed.

Lactation stage influences drug milk-to-serum values and neonatal exposure risk

The purpose of our study was to assess the influence of lactation stage-dependent differences in milk-to-serum (M/S) ratio for an actively transported drug (cefepime) on the calculation of 2 exposure indices, EI(Dose) and EI(Conc). Age-dependent differences in cefepime pharmacokinetics at postnatal days 4 and 10 as well as cefepime M/S values at lactation days 4 and 10 in rats were determined. Significantly higher elimination rate constant and systemic clearance and lower half-life were found in day 10 compared to day 4 pups with no differences in oral bioavailability. The EI(Conc) was quantitatively higher than EI(Dose) at both lactation stages. The approximately 7-fold decrease in cefepime M/S values at lactation day 10 resulted in approximately 7-fold reduction in the EI(Dose) and approximately 13-fold reduction in EI(Conc). Our study confirms the need to evaluate M/S at different lactation stages for actively transported drugs to avoid over- or underestimation of neonatal exposure risk.

SSRIs during breastfeeding: spotlight on milk-to-plasma ratio

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the usefulness of the milk-to-plasma (M/P) ratio for assessing the risks for the breastfed infant associated with the maternal use of SSRIs.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Toxnet, Embase, Current Contents, and PsycInfo indexed articles from 1980 to September 2006.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

All studies reporting the M/P ratio in mothers taking SSRIs while breastfeeding or studies which such an information could be calculated from data reported in the article.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Higher M/P ratios were rarely associated with a clinically significant impact on the babies during the early phases of breastfeeding.

CONCLUSIONS

So far no evidence-based information seems to support the hypothesis that SSRIs characterized by a M/P ratio <1.0 should be preferred. Hence, physicians should consider different parameters when attempting to choose the safest SSRI for the breastfeeding woman. These parameters might be represented by the number of well-documented published adverse event reports and the tendency of each SSRI of inducing in the infants serum concentrations that are elevated above 10% of average maternal serum levels. In any case, if the mother wishes to breastfeed her infant while taking a SSRI, the baby should be closely monitored in order to promptly detect any iatrogenic event.

Use of contemporary antidepressants during breastfeeding: a proposal for a specific safety index

Despite the well known severe repercussions of maternal depression on infants' well being, women are often reluctant to seek pharmacological treatment for postnatal depression. The fear of adverse events for the suckling infant plays an important role in such maternal considerations. However, the pharmacological approach to mood disorders at postpartum onset often represents one of the most realistic options in a number of clinical conditions. Therefore, the necessity exists to establish the safety of antidepressant treatment in the breastfed infant. For this reason, the aim of this article is to propose a specific safety index that assesses the frequency and degree of severity of adverse events in infants associated with maternal treatment with second-generation antidepressants during puerperium. The index is derived from a simple formula that uses the number of reports of adverse events in infants exposed to antidepressants as the numerator and the combined total of reports of healthy outcomes and reports of adverse events as the denominator. The sum is then multiplied by 100. A value of < or =2 indicates that the drug should be relatively safe for use during breastfeeding, a value of 2.1-10 indicates that the drug should be used with great caution and a value >10 indicates that the drug should be contraindicated in breastfeeding mothers. In addition to the figure created by this calculation, each drug will also be assigned a letter or the combination of a letter and a subscripted number to symbolise, respectively, the type and clinical management of the most serious recorded event. At this early developmental stage of the index, a complete classification of contemporary antidepressants regarding their safety in infants nursed to the breast is unfeasible. Indeed, because of the lack of suitable published data, so far the index has been limited to the evaluation of four antidepressants. In accordance with the index classification for these four antidepressants, sertraline and paroxetine should be considered as first-line medications in women who need to start antidepressant treatment during the postpartum period and wish to continue breastfeeding. The utilisation of fluoxetine and citalopram seems conversely to be associated with a relatively higher risk of adverse events (with a low degree of severity, however). For the other newer antidepressant drugs, the index is still of no assistance to the patient or physician in deciding on the safety of their use in lactation.

Drug use and breastfeeding

Section 1 describes the benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and infant as well as the potential risks to the infant from maternal drug use. The extent of adverse drug-related events and the need for quality information on drug transfer is stated. Section 2 describes the physiology of lactation and the effects of drugs that stimulate or decrease milk production. Section 3 deals with transport mechanisms for drug passage into milk and factors that may modify the infant's exposure to drugs. The critical descriptors of 'absolute' and 'relative' infant dose are defined to give an objective measure of infant exposure to drugs in milk. Section 4 reviews new or commonly used drugs under the headings of analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents, neurological, endocrine, psychotropic and antihypertensive drugs. Section 5 concludes with an expert opinion of the drug industry and drug use in lactation, herbal preparations, the process of 'risk-benefit' analysis, minimising infant exposure, understanding drug-related adverse events and fostering good experimental design for drugs in lactation studies.

The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy and breast-feeding: a review and clinical aspects

Mood and anxiety disorders are common in women during their childbearing years. The prevalence of depression has been reported to be between 10% and 16% during pregnancy. The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy or lactation is, to date, not promoted because of lack of safety documentation. However, the off-label use of these drugs has been common for several years. In the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy, the serotonin reuptake inhibitors are often preferred over tricyclic antidepressants because of their relatively few adverse effects and safety in overdose. This has created concern among women planning pregnancies and pregnant women, as well as among their families and physicians. Several studies and reports of the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors during both pregnancy and lactation have been published and advanced our knowledge. We here review and discuss those studies which have been published so far on this subject.

Prediction of milk/plasma concentration ratio of drugs

OBJECTIVE

The milk to plasma (m/p) concentration ratio of drugs is used to estimate the amount of drug offered to the suckling infant. Published literature was reviewed to identify drugs for which sufficient data exist for calculation of m/p ratio and to examine whether the existing empiric data agree with the published method of Atkinson for mathematical prediction of m/p ratios based on physiochemical characteristics.

METHODS

Using a comprehensive reference text, we identified studies reporting sufficient data to calculate m/p ratio based on the AUC for milk and plasma. Subsequently, we calculated the m/p ratio with Atkinson's formula based on pKa, lipophilicity, and protein binding. We then correlated the empiric versus predicted (calculated) m/p ratios.

RESULTS

Of 192 drugs of which at least some data on milk accumulation have been published, there were sufficient data to quantify m/p ratios for only 69 medications (78 studies). There was no significant correlation between the empiric m/p ratios and the predicted values using the Atkinson's model.

CONCLUSIONS

Reliable data on m/p concentration ratios exist for few medications. Presently, there is no appropriate model to predict milk concentrations of drugs in humans.

The amount of fluvoxamine in milk is unlikely to be a cause of adverse effects in breastfed infants

The aim of this study was to characterize milk/plasma (M/P) ratio, as well as relative infant dose and well-being, in 2 breastfeeding women taking fluvoxamine. The women (37 and 34 years old) and their infants (26 and 0.75 months old) were studied over a 24-hour dose interval at steady state. Fluvoxamine concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Infant exposure was measured as concentration in milk multiplied by an estimated milk production of 0.15 L/kg/d and normalized to the weight-adjusted maternal dose. M/P values of 1.34 and 1.21 were calculated for subjects 1 and 2, respectively, and relative infant doses were estimated to be 1.38% and 0.8%, respectively. No adverse effects in the infants were detected by the mother or on clinical examination, and fluvoxamine was not detected in the infants' plasma (limit of detection 2 micrograms/L). These limited data support the prescription of fluvoxamine to breastfeeding mothers after a careful, individual risk/benefit analysis is undertaken.