Truvada/raltegravir course and breastfeeding

[Stephrn]

I was exposed to a dirty needle at work, and am currently taking the above listed medications for a four weeks course. I'm concerned that I will not be able to continue breastfeeding after the course is finished because although I am pumping and dumping my supply is slowly dropping. Also after month of bottles I'm worried he won't latch. He is 7 months old.

Do you have any information regarding these medications? I really wanted to be able to breastfeed for one year.

[admin-james]

Hi, thanks for your post.

The drugs you mentioned are probably compatible with breastfeeding. We either have direct data or studies on other drugs in the same class that suggest there are no adverse effects in infants exposed to the medications through the breastmilk. We rate them as Hazardous in our publications because HIV+ mothers run a risk of infecting their children. For your situation though, the chances of you contracting HIV from this needle stick and then passing it on to your child are miniscule.

Please call us at the InfantRisk Center if this has not completely answered your question.*(806)352-2519

-James Abbey, MD
and
-Thomas W. Hale, Ph.D.