Impact of serotonin reuptake inhibitor use on breast milk supply in mothers of preterm infants: a retrospective cohort study

Fluoxetine alters rat's milk properties causing impact on offspring's development

Fluoxetine is an antidepressant used to treat several conditions including postpartum depression. This disease causes cognitive, emotional, behavioral and physical changes, negatively affecting the mother, child and family life. However, fluoxetine is excreted in breast milk, causing short and long-term effects on children who were exposed to the drug during lactation, so studies that seek to uncover the consequences of these effects are needed. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fluoxetine on the nutritional characteristics of milk and on growth and neurobehavioral development of the offspring on a rat model. Lactating rats were divided into 4 groups: control group and three experimental groups, which were treated with different doses of fluoxetine (1, 10 and 20 mg/kg) during the lactation. Dams body weight and milk properties were measured, as well as offspring's growth and physical and neurobehavioral development. Results showed that the use of fluoxetine during lactation decreased dam's body weight and alters milk's properties, leading to a decrease in offspring's growth until adulthood. Therefore, the use of fluoxetine during lactation needs to be cautiously evaluated, with the benefits to the mothers and the associated risk to the offspring carefully balance.

Perinatal antidepressant use and breastfeeding outcomes: Findings from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION

Antidepressant use is common in the perinatal period, but there are concerns that it can negatively impact on breastfeeding outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of perinatal antidepressant use on breastfeeding initiation and duration.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of 80 882 mother-infant dyads in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Women were first classified according to self-reported mental disorders and timing of antidepressant use before and/or after gestational week 28 (i.e., early-mid-gestation and/or late-gestation use). We subsequently classified women according to self-reported mental disorders and antidepressant use postpartum and whether antidepressants were continued from late gestation or were new/restarted. Breastfeeding outcomes included breastfeeding initiation as well as predominant or any breastfeeding and abrupt breastfeeding discontinuation until 6 months.

RESULTS

Late-gestation antidepressant use was associated with a reduced likelihood of breastfeeding initiation (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-0.97) but not predominant (aRR 0.96; 95% CI 0.67-1.39) or any (aRR 1.00; 95% CI 0.93-1.07) breastfeeding at 6 months compared with unexposed women with mental disorders. When examined according to postnatal antidepressant use, no differences in predominant (aRR 0.94; 95% CI 0.60-1.48) or any breastfeeding (aRR 0.99; 95% CI 0.91-1.07) at 6 months were evident among women who continued antidepressant use from late gestation into the postpartum period compared with unexposed women with mental disorders. In contrast, new/restarted antidepressant use postpartum was associated with a reduced likelihood of predominant (aRR 0.37; 95% CI 0.22-0.61) and any (aRR 0.49; 95% CI 0.42-0.56) breastfeeding at 6 months, as well as increased risk of abrupt breastfeeding discontinuation (aRR 2.64; 95% CI 2.07-3.37) compared with the unexposed women with mental disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

A complex relation exists between depression, antidepressant use, and breastfeeding outcomes. Antidepressant use in late pregnancy was associated with a reduced likelihood of breastfeeding initiation but not breastfeeding duration or exclusivity. In contrast, initiating or restarting antidepressants postpartum was associated with poorer breastfeeding outcomes. Overall, women taking antidepressants and women with a mental disorder may benefit from additional education and support to improve breastfeeding rates and promote maternal and infant health and wellbeing.

Effects of perinatal factors on sirtuin 3, 8-hydroxy-2'- deoxyguanosine, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and serotonin in cord blood and early breast milk: an observational study

BACKGROUND

The profile of sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serotonin (5-HT) in cord blood and in early breast milk was studied and it was related to perinatal factors. 5-HT and BDNF signalling systems have been claimed to play a critical role in intrauterine development, postnatal adaptation and lactation. Since prematurity and Caesarean birth are frequently associated with inflammation and related oxidative stress, an attempt was made to reveal the adaptive changes of the protective SIRT3 and the complex interplay among these bioactive components in cord blood and early breast milk.

METHODS

Three groups each consisting of 30 mothers were included in the study: mothers who underwent spontaneous vaginal birth at term (group I), Caesarean section at term (group II) and preterm birth (group III). Venous cord blood and early breast milk samples were collected for measuring the biomarkers. SIRT3, 8-OHdG, BDNF and 5-HT levels were determined by using commercially available ELISA kits.

RESULTS

It was demonstrated that cord blood levels of SIRT3, BDNF and 5-HT were markedly reduced whereas those of 8-OHdG were significantly elevated after preterm birth when compared with birth at term. The Caesarean section was associated with a moderate decrease in BDNF and 5-HT, however, both SIRT3 and 8-OHdG remained unaffected. Breast milk levels of all biomarkers studied proved to be independent of their corresponding cord blood concentrations. In response to preterm birth breast milk SIRT3, 8-OHdG and 5-HT increased significantly, while a drastic fall occurred in BDNF. A significant positive relationship was found of 5-HT with SIRT3 and 8-OHdG irrespective of the gestational age and the mode of delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested that the selected biomarkers in the breast milk mostly derive from local production by the mammary glands and 5-HT may have an essential role in the control of this process.

Practical Evidence-Based Recommendations for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Who Want to Have Children

Multiple sclerosis (MS) management presently aims to reach a state of no (or minimal) evidence of disease activity. The development and commercialization of new drugs has led to a renewed interest in family planning, since patients with MS may face a future with reduced (or no) disease-related neurological disability. The advice of neurologists is often sought by patients who want to have children and need to know more about disease control at conception and during pregnancy and the puerperium. When MS is well controlled, the simple withdrawal of drugs for patients who intend to conceive is not an option. On the other hand, not all treatments presently recommended for MS are considered safe during conception, pregnancy and/or breastfeeding. The objective of the present study was to summarize the practical and evidence-based recommendations for family planning when our patients (women and men) have MS.Funding TEVA Pharmaceutical Brazil.

Impact of serotonin reuptake inhibitor use on breast milk supply in mothers of preterm infants: a retrospective cohort study

AIMS

The aims of the present study were to examine the association between late pregnancy exposure to serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants and difficulties in achieving an adequate breast milk supply in women who have given birth to preterm infants, while accounting for the potential impacts of underlying maternal psychiatric illness.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was carried out of 3024 women delivering liveborn preterm infants (<37 weeks' gestation) between January 2004 and December 2008. The primary outcome was postnatal domperidone use, considered to be a valid proxy for the presence and pharmacological management of low milk supply. Relative risks adjusted for maternal sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities (aRRs) were calculated for low milk supply, comparing women with late pregnancy exposure to SRI antidepressants (n = 86), women with a psychiatric illness but no antidepressant use (n = 126) and women with neither antenatal exposures (n = 2812).

RESULTS

Compared with non-exposed women, nonmedicated psychiatric illness [aRR 1.64; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16, 2.30] but not late pregnancy SRI use (aRR 1.00; 95% CI 0.59, 1.70) was associated with an increased risk of domperidone use, indicative of low milk supply.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings do not support the previously observed negative impacts of antidepressant use on breastfeeding, instead suggesting that women with an underlying psychiatric illness appear at greatest risk of experiencing low milk supply and could benefit from additional breastfeeding education and support.