Is Ganciclovir safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Ganciclovir. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Several factors might affect the decision to use ganciclovir in a nursing mother. No information is available on the clinical use of ganciclovir during breastfeeding. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can be transmitted to infants though breastmilk, with preterm and immunocompromised infants at greatest risk. No information is available on any changes in the risk of transmission if the mother is being treated with ganciclovir. Although the manufacturer recommends avoiding breastfeeding during ganciclovir use because of the risk of infant drug toxicity, neonates with CMV infections are often treated directly with ganciclovir.
It is unlikely that topical ophthalmic ganciclovir administration results in sufficient systemic absorption to produce detectable quantities in breastmilk. To substantially diminish the amount of drug that reaches the breastmilk after using eye drops, place pressure over the tear duct by the corner of the eye for 2 to 5 minutes, then remove the excess solution with an absorbent tissue.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Ganciclovir is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Ganciclovir” (LM1353). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.