Can you take didanosine while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Didanosine has been removed from the US market. No published information is available on the use of didanosine during breastfeeding. Didanosine is not recommended during breastfeeding. Achieving and maintaining viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy decreases breastfeeding transmission risk to less than 1%, but not zero. Individuals with HIV who are on antiretroviral therapy with a sustained undetectable viral load and who choose to breastfeed should be supported in this decision. If a viral load is not suppressed, banked pasteurized donor milk or formula is recommended.
Quoted from Didanosine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2024.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of didanosine. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much didanosine gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take didanosine while breastfeeding?
Didanosine has been removed from the US market. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What can I take instead of didanosine while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Lamivudine, Nelfinavir, Nevirapine, Zidovudine as alternate drugs to consider. That is the database's own list for this drug — whether any of them suits you depends on what you are treating.
Does didanosine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for didanosine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking didanosine?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on didanosine
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.