Rational use of medications and risk assessment during lactation

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are perhaps "the last true therapeutic orphans". Due to dearth of adequate research on certain medications and healthcare providers' poor knowledge of lactational pharmacology, nursing mothers are often ill-advised to give up breastfeeding or unlikely to receive appropriate treatment. Accumulating evidence-based data have shown that most medications are safe for nursing mothers. Besides safety concerns, infant's condition and maternal attitude should also be considered when making treatment decisions. Clear understanding of lactational pharmacology and risk assessment tools in breastfed infants would be beneficial to meet the medical needs of nursing mothers and promote breastfeeding. Key words: Breast feeding; Drug therapy; Risk assessment