Is Iodine I-125 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 Iodine I-125. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Iodine I-125 is usually implanted temporarily in a sealed container (plaque or seed) to treat localized tumors. Modeling has shown that when a I-125 seed is implanted within 14 days prior to surgery for breast cancer, contact is considered safe on the contralateral side (i.e., the opposite breast). When the patient prefers to breastfeed or have close contact on the ipsilateral side (the side of the breast cancer), a daily limit of 5 hours ensures that the infant’s cumulative radiation exposure remains below the 1 mSv threshold.[1] The mother’s milk is not affected, and it can be pumped and fed to the infant at a later time.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
A mother nursing an 11-month-old infant was treated with an iodine I-125 plaque for uveal melanoma. The plaque was in place for 2 days during which time she was separated from her infant, but pumped milk for later use. Breastfeeding was resumed after plaque removal.[2]
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.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Iodine I-125” (iodine_I-125). 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.