Transfer of methylamphetamine and amphetamine into breast milk following recreational use of methylamphetamine.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the transfer of amphetamines into breast milk following their recreational use and estimate drug exposure for the breastfed infant.


METHODS
Two breastfeeding mothers who were occasional recreational users of intravenous amphetamines were studied. A urine sample was collected 4 h after dose, and milk samples were collected over 24 h. Drug in urine was qualitatively identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and quantification in milk was by high-performance liquid chromatography. Absolute infant dose via milk was estimated.


RESULTS
The urines contained predominantly methylamphetamine together with smaller amounts of amphetamine. In the 24 h after dose, average concentrations in milk were 111 microg l(-1) and 281 microg l(-1) for methylamphetamine and 4 microg l(-1) and 15 microg l(-1) for amphetamine in cases 1 and 2, respectively. Absolute infant doses for methylamphetamine plus amphetamine (as methylamphetamine equivalents) were 17.5 microg kg(-1) day(-1) and 44.7 microg kg(-1) day(-1), respectively, for cases 1 and 2.


CONCLUSIONS
These limited data suggest that breastfeeding should be withheld for 48 h after recreational amphetamine use.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, Western Australia, 6845, Australia. anne.bartu@health.wa.gov.au
Anne
A
Bartu
Leon J
LJ
Dusci
Kenneth F
KF
Ilett
D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine