My baby is 3 months old and my doctor just prescribed Valtrex. is this safe to take while breastfeeding?
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Valtrex and Breastfeeding
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Mom of 3:
Valtrex is metabolized to acyclovir which has been used in pediatrics for many years. We know that it is quite safe, but we also know it is poorly absorbed orally. This is the reason that we use Valacyclovir (Valtrex), because it is rapidly absorbed, THEN metabolized to acyclovir, the active drug.
Only about 4.7% of the drug is present in milk, and less than half of this would be absorbed by the infant. We generally consider this a safe product in neonates, and in breastfeeding infants.
Tom Hale Ph.d
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