Association between duration of breastfeeding and drug therapy

ObjectiveTo evaluate the existence of an association between the use of medication by nursing women and duration of breastfeeding in Itaúna, MG, Brazil.MethodsLongitudinal cohort study was carried out with 12-month follow-up, including 246 women admitted in the only Maternity Hospital of the city of Itaúna, MG, Brazil. The effect of medications on duration of breastfeeding was analyzed with the Cox regression model, with time-dependent covariables. Drugs were classified for safety during breastfeeding according to criteria established by the American Academy of Pediatrics (2001) and Hale (2004).ResultsNinety-eight percent of nursing women used medications after hospital discharge. The duration of breastfeeding was longer for mothers who did not use medications or who used drugs considering safety during lactation (P<0.05).ConclusionsHealth professionals should prescribe medications with well established safety for both infants and for the lactation process, so that maternal medication is compatible with breastfeeding.