Implications/risks with Breast Feeding

Re: Implications/risks with Breast Feeding

katiepoodle — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 23:52:20 GMT

[quote user="katiepoodle"]

Hi,

I am trying to find out the implications of Breast feeding whilst working in practice - specifically any risks associated with monitoring of GA's. Does anyone have any ideas?

(I keep rewriting this post as it never sounds right!!! and for anyone who knows me.... no I've not got anything to tell you and no I'm not feeding my 13 year old!)

Thanks,

Kate

[/quote]

Thanks for your replies. I have now received an email from John Hird MA BVSc DVA DipECVAA MRCA MRCVS giving the following response to my concerns:

'I can confirm that the answer is no, there have never been any issues reported

To reassure your enquirer, sevo is very insoluble in blood and fat, and is therefore rapidly eliminated following any exposure, it is not metabolised to any signficant extent (less than 3%) and won't appear in milk

Having said that, there should be no problem working with sevo full stop, check that they are using active scavenging, and advise them to monitor personal exposure if this lady is at all concerned

Sevoflurane Levels and Effects while Breastfeeding

Summary of Use during Lactation

There is no published experience with sevoflurane during breastfeeding. Because the serum half-life of sevoflurane in the mother is short and the drug is not expected to be absorbed by the infant, no waiting period or discarding of milk is required. Breastfeeding can be resumed as soon as the mother has recovered sufficiently from general anesthesia to nurse. When a combination of anesthetic agents is used for a procedure, follow the recommendations for the most problematic medication used during the procedure.

If it's OK to feed your baby if you have just had a sevo GA yourself, I don't think there is the slightest chance of a vet nurse working in theatre having any problems'

Re: Implications/risks with Breast Feeding

Dove — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 10:04:23 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

Unless you was actually feeding whilst in theatre [/quote]

It did cross my mind to write something along these lines!

Re: Implications/risks with Breast Feeding

Katherine Spear — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 08:27:21 GMT

I have a friend whose a doctor who struggled and won in getting the NHS to implement changes for her so she could continue breastfeeding when she went back to work - but cant remember what the concerns were - I wonder if it was about shift patterns & breaks etc to ensure she could continue to express?

Id also think wearing gloves in dispensary might be sensible if handling a lot of drugs perhaps. And just read that isoflo should be avoided by breastfeeding women as well as pregnant women so maybe not to top up the iso etc as when pregnant?

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Abbott_Laboratories_Ltd/IsoFlo_100_ACU-__w_w_Inhalation_Vapour__liquid/-22940.html

Re: Implications/risks with Breast Feeding

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 22:46:37 GMT

Unless you was actually feeding whilst in theatre I can't think there would be any health implications at all.

My 2 children seem to have survived me working while breastfeeding.

Re: Implications/risks with Breast Feeding

Dove — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 22:05:37 GMT

I can't think of any, any escaped gases would have left your system quickly, certainly by the time baby was fed. Not sure if drug handling and absorption through skin would present a risk?