Is Gold Sodium Thiomalate safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Gold Sodium Thiomalate. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Four infants reportedly have been breastfed during maternal gold therapy (including gold sodium thiomalate and gold aurothioglucose).[ 6 , 8 - 10 ] Transient facial edema occurred in an 18-month-old infant, 3 months after the mother's treatment stopped.[ 6 ] The reaction was possibly due to gold in the mother's milk ingested by the infant.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. The milk of one mother contained 22 mcg/L after a total dose of gold sodium thiomalate of 370 over a 7-week period and 40 mcg/L after 395 mg over about 8 weeks.[ 6 ] Gold levels reached a peak of 30 mcg/L 17 hours after a 20 mg intramuscular dose of gold sodium thiomalate and persisted at about the same levels for at least 72 hours when another dose of 50 mg was administered. A peak milk level of 153 mcg/L was measured 22 hours after this dose and fluctuated around this level until at least 42 hours after the dose. In another mother reported in the same paper, peak milk level of 15 mcg/L occurred 36 hours after a dose of 10 mg. Following a subsequent dose of 20 mg, a peak milk level of 140 mcg/L occurred at 24 hours and 165 mcg/L at 69 hours after the dose. A third 20 mg dose resulted in a level of 185 mcg/L 3 hours after the dose when collection was stopped.[ 7 ] A woman received gold sodium thiomalate during pregnancy and after delivery in dose of 10 mg every 3 to 4 weeks. Milk levels ranged between 15 and 30 mcg/L after the postpartum doses.[ 8 ] Infant Levels. Gold was detectable in an infant's urine at a level of 0.4 mcg/L after a cumulative maternal dose of 370 mg over a 7-week period. One month later, gold was undetectable ( 0.4 mcg/L) in the infant's urine after another maternal dose of 20 mg during this time.[ 6 ] A woman received gold sodium thiomalate during pregnancy and after delivery in dose of 10 mg every 3 to 4 weeks. Gold was detected in the infant's urine in a concentration of 51 mcg/L on one occasion 21 days after the previous dose.[ 8 ]
Alternatives LactMed lists
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.