The Basics
What is Ethambutol?
Used to treat tuberculosis.
Brand names for Ethambutol
Myambutol
How Ethambutol is classified
Antitubercular Agents
Ethambutol During Pregnancy
Ethambutol pregnancy category
Category CNote that the FDA has deprecated the use of pregnancy categories, so for some medications, this information isn’t available. We still think it’s useful to list historical info, however, given what a common proxy this has been in the past.
What we know about taking Ethambutol while pregnant
N/A
Taking Ethambutol While Breastfeeding
What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Ethambutol?
Limited information indicates that maternal doses of ethambutol up to 15 mg/kg daily produce low levels in milk and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants, especially if the infant is older than 2 months. The amount of ethambutol in milk is insufficient to treat tuberculosis in the breastfed infant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other professional organizations state that breastfeeding should not be discouraged in women taking ethambutol.[1][2][3]
Maternal / infant drug levels
Limited information indicates that maternal doses of ethambutol up to 15 mg/kg daily produce low levels in milk and would not be expected to cause any adverse effects in breastfed infants, especially if the infant is older than 2 months. The amount of ethambutol in milk is insufficient to treat tuberculosis in the breastfed infant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other professional organizations state that breastfeeding should not be discouraged in women taking ethambutol.[1][2][3]
Possible effects of Ethambutol on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Possible alternatives to Ethambutol
List of References
Lactation sources: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501922/1. Blumberg HM, Burman WJ, Chaisson RE et al. American Thoracic Society/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Infectious Diseases Society of America: treatment of tuberculosis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003;167:603-62. PMID: 12588714
2. Anon. Treatment of tuberculosis. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2003;52:1-77. PMID: 12836625
3. Bartlett JG. Guidelines section. Infect Dis Clin Pract. 2002;11:467-71. DOI: doi:10.1097/01.idc.0000086415.30743.15
4. Snider DE Jr, Powell KE. Should women taking antituberculosis drugs breast-feed? Arch Intern Med. 1984;144:589-90. PMID: 6367682
5. Fulton B, Moore LL. Antiinfectives in breastmilk. Part III: Antituberculars, quinolones and urinary germicides. J Hum Lact. 1993;9:43-6. PMID: 8489724
6. Partosch F, Mielke H, Stahlmann R et al. Exposure of nursed infants to maternal treatment with ethambutol and rifampicin. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2018;123:213-20. PMID: 29505119
7. Toddywalla VS, Patel SB, Betrabet SS et al. Can chronic maternal drug therapy alter the nursing infant’s hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme pattern? J Clin Pharmacol. 1995;35:1025-9. PMID: 8568011
8. Peters C, Nienhaus A. [Case report–tuberculosis in a health care worker during pregnancy]. Pneumologie. 2008;62:695-8. PMID: 18855309
9. Drobac PC, del Castillo H, Sweetland A et al. Treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis during pregnancy: long-term follow-up of 6 children with intrauterine exposure to second-line agents. Clin Infect Dis. 2005;40:1689-92. PMID: 15889370
10. Keskin N, Yilmaz S. Pregnancy and tuberculosis: to assess tuberculosis cases in pregnancy in a developing region retrospectively and two case reports. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2008;278:451-5. PMID: 18273625
Disclaimer: This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your healthcare provider with any questions.
