I am a bit of a childbirth nerd. I have been trained to be a doula and attended three births. I don’t know if I will ever have kids so my family reading this shouldn’t get the wrong idea or anything. 
I decided to do some research on breastfeeding with Copaxone. The expert in medications and breastfeeding is Dr. Thomas Hale from Texas Tech University Medical School. He does research studies on breast milk with different medications to determine if they are safe. Every year he publishes a book on breastfeeding and medicine. So another words, he is the expert in this area.
He has a message board which is open to everyone to read and only medical professionals to post. He has researched Copaxone and breast milk. He *believes* it is safe to breastfeed while on Copaxone! I am not sure what medical professionals would say. I forgot to ask my doc the last time I was there but anyway,
The reason he thinks Copaxone is safe is that it is a large molecule that is unlikely to enter the breast milk. Copaxone is also NOT orally bio-available which I think we are all very aware of. He also says “large peptide antigenically similar to myelin basic protein. I can’t imagine that even if microscopic amounts were absorbed, it would harm an infant.”
It is a calculated risk but very low considering all the other risks in your life. Talk with your doc and stuff but I’d do it (again family, no crazy ideas here). 
![[Bloglines]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/bloglines.png)
![[del.icio.us]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Google]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[Reddit]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/reddit.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Technorati]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/technorati.png)
![[Windows Live]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/windowslive.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
![[Email]](http://msgirl.org/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/email.png)
4 responses so far ↓
1 Nadja Tizer // Dec 29, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Very interesting. Thanks for the research. While I don’t intend to have kids this info should prove useful to many women out there.
[Reply]
2 Jen H // Jan 28, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Interesting info regarding Copaxone and b/f… My neurologist (who happens to be the head of the neurology dept) ok’d me to breastfeed while on Avonex for the same reason. However, when I spoke with the PA at his office and the visiting nurse who came to familiarize me with Avonex, both wondered why I hadn’t switched to formula. For the women out there who are interested, talk to your doctor. They may say it’s ok, or they may not. It’s ultimately up to you.
[Reply]
ninareply on January 31st, 2009 12:20 pm
Yep, you should totally talk to your doctor. It is sad that they asked you about switching to formula. I was speaking to the NP and she (and I) have a theory that breastfeeding reduces stress and possible lowers the risk for that relapse after birth that everyone talks about.
[Reply]
3 sarah // Feb 12, 2009 at 10:20 am
This is hugely interesting for women like me who are breastfeeding and considering going back on MS medication. My neurologist said he didn’t think taking Avonex would be a problem during breastfeeding, but I’ve been looking hard for other women who’ve done it and had a good experience. It’s a bit unnerving to feel like the guinea pig in an experiment and since there’s no research in this area, I’m a bit worried. But I’d like to continue breastfeeding and also get back on some MS medication. Any other women in my boat?
PS– I’ve been shocked at how little information is out there about this, given that MS is a disease that hits a LOT of women in their child-bearing years.
[Reply]
Leave a Comment