Neomycin

The Basics

What is Neomycin?

Antibiotic,is used to prevent or treat skin infections caused by bacteria.

Brand names for Neomycin

Neo-Fradin

How Neomycin is classified

Anti-Infective Agents, Antibacterial Agents, Aminoglycosides, Dermatologic Agents

Neomycin During Pregnancy

Neomycin pregnancy category

Category C / DNote 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 Neomycin while pregnant

Aminoglycoside antibiotics cross the placenta. A study evaluating the intravenous use of parenteral gentamicin, streptomycin, tobramycin, and oral neomycin in pregnant women reported no association of teratogenic abnormalities with aminoglycoside use. Animal studies have shown a higher risk of hearing loss and nephrotoxicity after systemic aminoglycoside administration, but the relevance of these findings to the use of clinical doses in human pregnancy is unknown.

Taking Neomycin While Breastfeeding

What are recommendations for lactation if you're taking Neomycin?

Although no information exists on the excretion of neomycin into milk, other aminoglycoside antibiotics are poorly excreted into breastmilk. Newborn infants apparently absorb small amounts of aminoglycosides, but serum levels are far below those attained when treating newborn infections and systemic effects of neomycin are unlikely. Older infants would be expected to absorb even less neomycin. Monitor the infant for possible effects on the gastrointestinal flora, such as diarrhea, candidiasis (e.g., thrush, diaper rash) or rarely, blood in the stool indicating possible antibiotic-associated colitis. Oral, topical, ophthalmic or otic neomycin should result in very low levels in breastmilk and present negligible risk to the infant,[1][2] although topical application to the nipple may increase the risk of diarrhea in the infant. Only water-miscible cream or gel products should be applied to the breast because ointments may expose the infant to high levels of mineral paraffins via licking.[3]

Maternal / infant drug levels

Although no information exists on the excretion of neomycin into milk, other aminoglycoside antibiotics are poorly excreted into breastmilk. Newborn infants apparently absorb small amounts of aminoglycosides, but serum levels are far below those attained when treating newborn infections and systemic effects of neomycin are unlikely. Older infants would be expected to absorb even less neomycin. Monitor the infant for possible effects on the gastrointestinal flora, such as diarrhea, candidiasis (e.g., thrush, diaper rash) or rarely, blood in the stool indicating possible antibiotic-associated colitis. Oral, topical, ophthalmic or otic neomycin should result in very low levels in breastmilk and present negligible risk to the infant,[1][2] although topical application to the nipple may increase the risk of diarrhea in the infant. Only water-miscible cream or gel products should be applied to the breast because ointments may expose the infant to high levels of mineral paraffins via licking.[3]

Possible effects of Neomycin on milk supply

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Possible alternatives to Neomycin

(Injection) Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Tobramycin; (Topical) Bacitracin, Clindamycin, Mupirocin, Polymyxin B.