Is Teriparatide 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 Teriparatide. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
One infant with congenital hyperparathyroidism was breastfed during maternal use of teriparatide. The infant appeared to be protected against hypoparathyroidism by breastfeeding. If teriparatide is used in a nursing mother, monitor breastfed infants for signs and symptoms of hypercalcemia or hypocalcemia. Serum calcium monitoring should also be considered. Until more data become available, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. The manufacturer of teriparatide recommends avoiding the drug while breastfeeding.
Effects on the breastfed infant
A woman with autosomal dominant hypoparathyroidism type 1 (ADH1) was treated with teriparatide 28 mcg daily by continuous infusion during pregnancy. She also took vitamin D3 1000 IU daily, magnesium oxide 400 mg twice daily, and calcium carbonate 0 to 3 grams orally depending on serum calcium. The infusion was continued for 8 months postpartum in doses ranging from 27 to 30 mcg daily when calcitriol 0.5 mcg twice daily was substituted. She breastfed her infant exclusively for 6 months then with supplementation to 1 year. Her infant had no change in serum calcium when maternal calcitriol was begun. The mother began weaning at 11 months and at 1 year of age when weaning was complete, her infant developed hypocalcemia and was diagnosed with ADH1 and the same genetic mutation as her mother and other family members. Serum parathyroid hormone-related protein levels in the infant were in the mid-normal range during the first year while nursing. A single sample drawn after weaning showed her level had dropped markedly. The breastfed infant appeared to be protected from severe hypocalcemia during the first year of life by the mother’s breastmilk. Growth and development were normal at 1.5 years of age.[1]
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.
Alternatives LactMed lists
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Teriparatide” (teriparatide). 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.