Atripla and Breastfeeding

If you are taking HIV medications (such as Atripla), breastfeeding should generally be avoided. It is not known if the combination medication passes through breast milk, but HIV can be transmitted through breastfeeding. Therefore, you should talk to your healthcare provider about Atripla and breastfeeding in your particular situation to further discuss the possible risks.

 

Atripla and Breastfeeding: An Overview

At this time, it is not known if Atripla™ (efavirenz, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) passes through breast milk. However, breastfeeding is almost never recommended for women with HIV or AIDS in developed countries (such as the United States) in order to reduce the chance of transmitting the HIV infection to the infants though breast milk. Therefore, most women taking Atripla should avoid breastfeeding.
 

Atripla and Breastfeeding: What Does the Research Say?

While it is not known if Atripla passes though breast milk in humans, the HIV virus can pass through breast milk. Therefore, any HIV-infected woman who can safely feed her baby with formula should not breastfeed. There are some situations in which formula feeding is not safe, such as if no clean water supply is available to mix the formula or to wash the bottles. In these situations, it is difficult to know whether breastfeeding or formula feeding is more dangerous. In general, using both breastfeeding and formula feeding is considered the most dangerous, as digestive system irritation or infections from unclean water can allow HIV to pass into the body from the digestive tract more easily.
 

Talking With Your Healthcare Provider About Atripla and Breastfeeding

You should talk with your healthcare provider about Atripla and breastfeeding. Each woman's situation is different, and you and your healthcare provider understand your situation best. After considering what you want and expect, as well as your current health situation, the two of you can make a shared decision about Atripla and breastfeeding that is right for you.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;