40: Are peripartum opioids safe for breastfeeding mothers?

4 snips

Apr 9, 2025

In this discussion, Dr. Gopika Hari, an anesthesia resident, and Dr. Lana Joudeh, a faculty member at MGH, dive into the safety of peripartum opioid use for breastfeeding mothers. They explore the transfer of opioids like morphine and fentanyl into breast milk and the implications for infant safety. The duo emphasizes the balance between effective pain management and monitoring neonatal well-being. They highlight recent studies showing minimal breastfeeding impact from fentanyl and stress the importance of ongoing research for informed clinical practices.

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Intro

00:00 • 4min

Understanding Anesthetic Safety for Breastfeeding Mothers

04:18 • 3min

Opioid Safety in Breastfeeding Mothers

07:24 • 21min

Fentanyl and Breastfeeding: An Insight

28:43 • 9min

Assessing Opioid Safety for Breastfeeding After Delivery

37:16 • 4min

Dr. Gopika Hari and Dr. Lana Joudeh join the podcast to discuss the literature on the safety of peripartum opioid use and its implications for breastfeeding.

Dr. Hari is an anesthesia resident in the MGH Anesthesia Residency Program and a graduate of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Dr. Joudeh completed her anesthesia residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and is currently a faculty member. This episode was produced as part of the Depth of Anesthesia podcast elective.

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Email us at depthofanesthesia@gmail.com with episode ideas or if you'd like to join our team.

Music by Stephen Campbell, MD.

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References

American Society of Anesthesiologists. Statement on Resuming Breastfeeding after Anesthesia. Amended October 23, 2024. Available at: https://www.asahq.org/standards-and-practice-parameters/statement-on-resuming-breastfeeding-after-anesthesia. Accessed April 6, 2025.

Mitchell J, Jones W, Winkley E, Kinsella SM. Guideline on anaesthesia and sedation in breastfeeding women 2020: Guideline from the Association of Anaesthetists. Anaesthesia. 2020 Nov;75(11):1482-1493. doi: 10.1111/anae.15179. Epub 2020 Aug 1. PMID: 32737881.

Pharmacologic Stepwise Multimodal Approach for Postpartum Pain Management: ACOG Clinical Consensus No. 1. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Sep 1;138(3):507-517. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004517. PMID: 34412076.

Robieux I, Koren G, Vandenbergh H, Schneiderman J. Morphine excretion in breast milk and resultant exposure of a nursing infant. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol. 1990;28(3):365-70. doi: 10.3109/15563659008994437. PMID: 2231835.

Baka, N.-E., Bayou Menu, F., Boutroy, M.-J., & Laxenaire, M.-C. (2002). Colostrum morphine concentrations during Postcesarean intravenous patient-controlled analgesia. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 94(1), 184–187. https://doi.org/10.1213/00000539-200201000-00035

Wittels B, Glosten B, Faure EA, et al. Postcesarean analgesia with both epidural morphine and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia: neurobehavioral outcomes among nursing neonates. Anesth Analg. 1997;85(3):600-606.

Lam J, Kelly L, Ciszkowski C, et al. Central nervous system depression of neonates breastfed by mothers receiving oxycodone for postpartum analgesia. J Pediatr. 2012;160(1):33-37.e2.

Seaton, S., Reeves, M., & McLean, S. (2007). Oxycodone as a component of multimodal analgesia for lactating mothers after Cesarean section: relationships between maternal plasma, breast milk and neonatal plasma levels. The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynecology, 47(3), 181–185. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828X.2007.00715.x

Edwards, J. E., Rudy, A. C., Wermeling, D. P., Desai, N., & McNamara, P. J. (2003). Hydromorphone Transfer into Breast Milk After Intranasal Administration. Pharmacotherapy, 23(2), 153–158. https://doi.org/10.1592/phco.23.2.153.32081

Oommen, H., Oddbjørn Tveit, T., Eskedal, L. T., Myr, R., Swanson, D. M., & Vistad, I. (2021). The association between intrapartum opioid fentanyl and early breastfeeding: A prospective observational study. Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 100(12), 2294–2302. https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.14268

Goma, H. M., Said, R. N., & El-Ela, A. M. (2008). Study of the newborn feeding behaviors and fentanyl concentration in colostrum after an analgesic dose of epidural and intravenous fentanyl in cesarean section. Saudi medical journal, 29(5), 678–682.

Stocki D, Matot I, Einav S, Eventov-Friedman S, Ginosar Y, Weiniger CF. A randomized controlled trial of the efficacy and respiratory effects of patient-controlled intravenous remifentanil analgesia and patient-controlled epidural analgesia in laboring women. Anesthesia & Analgesia. 2014;118(3):589-597.