Category: Warnings & Precautions
Clindamycin And Breastfeeding Warnings-Watch Out!
| November 17, 2011 | Posted by admin under Warnings & Precautions |
Clindamycin is a drug that is commonly used for the treatment of various types of infections that are severe in nature. Some of the common reasons where Clindamycin is used are as follows. It is used to treat very severe respiratory tract infections. It is also very common to see this drug being regularly used for treating skin infections that are very serious in nature and also for grave and very dangerous soft tissue infections. There are instances where this drug is also used for the purpose of treating stomach infection and for the purpose of treating abscesses and also for pelvic infections in women. It is also being used regularly for the treatment of blood infections and joint infections. However, such use is only in the form of injections.
As is the case with almost all the drugs, Clindamycin has also got various side effects and contraindications about which both the health care service provider and the patients must be well aware. There are some common side effects associated with the use of this drug and are as follows:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- abdominal and stomach pain
- skin rashes
- unpleasant taste in the mouth
- yeast infections in the vagina
- mild to moderate diarrhea.
Though is it commonly felt that this drug is reasonable safe, it would however be appropriate to have full knowledge about the use of this drug in women who are breast feeding their new born children. There are quite a few clindamycin and breastfeeding warnings which must be adhered to very carefully. Let us now over the next few lines try and understand more about the impact of this drug on breastfeeding and lactating mothers.
The manufacturers of this drug themselves are very particular about this drug not being taken by women while they are breastfeeding their infants. However according to some reputed and well known Academies and Research Institutions, this drug is well tolerated by infants and there have been no serious cases to be much worried about. It is also supposed to very compatible with breastfeeding as far as the majority of women are concerned. In spite of the fact that it is generally considered very safe and well tolerated, it would be ideal to take the help and counseling of your doctor before this drug is administered to breastfeeding and lactating mothers. It is very important to be clearly aware about the various clindamycin and breastfeeding warnings before actually going in for such breastfeeding.
Coming to the possible side effects or reactions on infants who are breastfed by mothers on Clindamycin, it has to be taken into account that this drug does very much pass through the breast milk. There have been a number of cases where newborn babies have reported having stools with blood when their mothers have breastfed them with this drug. However, this has not happened individually. In other words, this problem has been encountered only when the mother has been administered clindamycin in combination with gentamicin and that too through the intravenous route. Once the baby was weaned away from the breastfeeding the loose motions immediately stopped. Hence, there is no denying the fact that there is a close correlation between reactions on new born infant and the fact that their mothers have been on Clindamycin treatment when such reactions happened on children.
However at the end of the day, the various clindamycin and breastfeeding warnings should be looked against the backdrop of the various benefits that are associated with this drug. It would be correct to state that this drug does not have any effect on the infant if the same is used for short periods of time. So, those who are using the drug for short period of time do not have to stop breastfeeding their children. However, for long term usage it is very important for the patients to take the advice and counseling from doctors and healthcare providers before going in for breastfeeding of the child. You have to take account the fact that this drug acts differently on different women and hence drawing a generalized pattern may not be the right thing to do.
The internet is the right place where a lot of useful information is available on the various side effects and precautions that should be taken when Clindamycin is being used either separately or with combination of the drug, especially for lactating and breastfeeding mothers.
Recent Comments