Zostavax vaccine

[dklauduc]

A mom with 3 week old twins was given the Zostavax vaccine and told to pump and dump for 6 weeks. I have read the entry in 2014 MMM that says there is currently no established evidence of transmission of the vaccine in breastmilk but since it's an L3, just wanted to double check before very politely telling the mom that her doctor is crazy.

Can you confirm for me that suspension of bf is unnecessary? Thank you.

Dana Lauducci, IBCLC

[admin-james]

Hi, thanks for your post.

This drug is rated an L3 because that is the default for medications that have no specific research published. Studies HAVE been published for the varicella vaccine and, although varicella DNA has been detected in milk, neither the vaccine strain or the wild-type virus has ever been cultured from breastmilk. Here is a quote from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices:

"Neither inactivated nor live-virus vaccines administered to a lactating woman affect the safety of breastfeeding for women or their infants. Although live viruses in vaccines can replicate in vaccine recipients (i.e., the mother), the majority of live viruses in vaccines have been demonstrated not to be excreted in human milk. Varicella vaccine virus has not been found in human milk."

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

-James Abbey, MD

Reference: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. General recommendations on immunization - recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011 Jan 28;60(2):1-64.