Researchers highlight risks of breastfeeding while taking Levetiracetam

In an interview with Contemporary OB/GYN, Shirley Wang, a PhD student in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Waterloo, discussed the risks associated with breastfeeding while a mother is taking medication, focusing specifically on the drug Levetiracetam.

The dangers of drug exposure during breastfeeding can vary significantly depending on the medication in question. While some drugs pose minimal risks to infants, others can cause serious harm, including hospitalization or even death. For instance, codeine has been linked to adverse drug reactions in breastfed infants, while Levetiracetam has shown a much lower risk profile, with only 2 case reports involving mothers on multiple medications.

Wang’s research aims to improve the accuracy of breastfeeding risk assessments by incorporating both prenatal and postnatal drug exposure. This approach helps determine the total drug exposure an infant would experience if the mother continues breastfeeding while taking medication. In the case of Levetiracetam, Wang's findings suggest that the drug exposure through breastfeeding is minimal, with the highest-risk infants still being exposed to levels of the drug that are lower than those seen in pediatric patients who take the drug orally in clinical trials.

The significance of these findings lies in their ability to provide more reliable information for mothers and health care providers. Breastfeeding is known to offer numerous benefits for infants, such as improved cognitive development and immunity. However, many mothers on medication face a difficult decision about whether to continue breastfeeding, often because of a lack of information about the risks of drug exposure. Wang emphasized that, based on the study, stopping breastfeeding may deprive infants of these important benefits, and the risks of continuing breastfeeding while on medication are often minimal unless the drug is deemed high-risk.

Wang also highlighted the challenges of gathering accurate data for drug exposure during breastfeeding. There is a lack of comprehensive information on drug concentrations in breast milk, as such data is only available when patients are taking the medication and breastfeeding simultaneously, and are willing to contribute their milk to research studies. Wang encourages patients who are eligible for such studies to participate, as their contributions are vital to improving drug safety assessments for breastfeeding mothers.

References

Predicting infant risk of exposure to mother’s medication. University of Waterloo. February 25, 2025. Accessed March 10, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1074877