[A multicenter study of drug use during pregnancy in Spain (IV). The drugs used during lactation. The DUP Working Group Spain].
BACKGROUND
Information on the use of drugs during breast feeding is scarce and rather anecdotal. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge on this issue in Spain.


METHODS
The Spanish study on drug use in pregnancy recorded information on the use of drugs among 1,371 participating women, who delivered in 20 hospitals of 15 cities.


RESULTS
When approached for interview, 157 women (11%) had opted for artificial lactation. Among those women practicing maternal lactation at the time of the interview (n = 921), the total number of drug exposures after delivery was 1,270 (mean = 1.38; SD = 1.55; range 0-10); as many medicines contained more than one drug, the total number of recorded drug exposures was 2,139. The most frequent indications for the use of these drugs were postpartum haemorrhage, pain and anti-infective prophylaxis, and the most consumed drugs were methylergometrine, metamizol, oxytocin, and amoxycillin.


CONCLUSIONS
Women practicing maternal lactation frequently receive some drugs for which the information on their passage to maternal milk and on their safety for the newborn is not available.
D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Estudio multicéntrico sobre el uso de medicamentos durante el embarazo en España (IV). Los fármacos utilizados durante la lactancia. Grupo de trabajo DUP España.