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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1542269
This article is part of the Research Topic World Breastfeeding Week 2024: An Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology Perspective View all 5 articles

Minding The Gap. Drug-Related Problems among Breastfeeding Women.

Provisionally accepted
Karolina Morze Karolina Morze 1*Edyta Szałek Edyta Szałek 1Magdalena Waszyk-Nowaczyk Magdalena Waszyk-Nowaczyk 2
  • 1 Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
  • 2 Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Care Division, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    IntroductionDrug-related problems (DRPs) are a significant concern in many patient populations, including breastfeeding women. This study aimed to identify and characterize those problems in a group of breastfeeding women seeking specialized pharmaceutical care.Materials and MethodsA prospective observational study was conducted among women who registered for a pharmacist’s online consultation regarding medication safety in lactation. 200 patients were enrolled. Patient medical history, medication use, breastfeeding practices, and DRPs were assessed. DRPs were classified using the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe Association (PCNE) classification system. Causality assessment for adverse events was performed using the Naranjo algorithm and the Liverpool Causality Assessment Tool (LCAT).ResultsThis study found a high prevalence of DRPs among 190 out of 200 breastfeeding women. Of these, 27 experienced potential DRPs, and 163 manifested actual DRPs. A total of 218 DRPs were identified, with ineffective therapy being the most frequent (63.3%, n=138). Among all identified causes (n=265), the most common were patient-related factors (47.5%, n=126) and dispensing-related issues, particularly regarding the information provided to patients about medication safety during lactation. Pharmacist interventions were accepted by 79.5% (n=151) of patients, with 70% (n=133) of DRPs successfully resolved.ConclusionThis study highlights the significant burden of DRPs among breastfeeding women and the potential for medical professionals to improve patient outcomes through evidence-based interventions. Future research should focus on developing evidence-based guidelines for medication use during lactation and improving healthcare provider education to optimize maternal and infant health.

    Keywords: Drug-related problems, breastfeeding, pharmaceutical care, Polypharmacy, Lactation, Medication-related problems

    Received: 09 Dec 2024; Accepted: 03 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Morze, Szałek and Waszyk-Nowaczyk. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Karolina Morze, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Biopharmacy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.