Can ammonium chloride be given to breast feeding mother?

• Breastfeeding recommendation: No Human Data – Probably Compatible.
• Inadequate evidences for determining infant risk. No reports describing the use of ammonium chloride during lactation are available and the effects on nursing infant from the exposure to the drug are unknown.
• It is not known if ammonium chloride affects the quantity and composition of breastmilk.

Recommendation:

• As there is no available data, agent should be only used if benefit is greater than the harm
• if usage is indicated, it is advisable for patient to express the breastmilk and store for latter usage. This should be followed by breastfeeding the child than only ingesting the medication
• As the medication is indicated as STAT dose and for imaging purposes, the harm/expression to child might be minimal
• unable to obtain data regarding drug half life

References:

1.       Micromedex

2.       Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation: A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal        Risk