Is LoSeasonique Safe During Breastfeeding?
LoSeasonique® (levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol) is a prescription
birth control pill that is not usually recommended for women who are breastfeeding. LoSeasonique is a combined
oral contraceptive, the most commonly used type of birth control pill, and it contains a combination of a progestin plus an estrogen. Although they are highly effective at preventing pregnancy, combined oral contraceptives (including LoSeasonique) are not recommended for women who are breastfeeding.
What Does the Research Say About "the Pill" and Breastfeeding?
Studies have shown that the hormones in birth control pills do pass through breast milk in low amounts. These amounts are probably too low to cause significant problems in breastfeeding infants. However, there have been cases of problems, such as breast enlargement and jaundice, in babies whose mothers took certain combined oral contraceptives while breastfeeding. Although it is not entirely clear if these problems were cause by the birth control pills or due to other factors.
More importantly, combined contraceptives may decrease the production and quality of breast milk. For this reason, progestin-only oral contraceptives (also known as "mini-pills") are almost always recommended instead of combined contraceptives for women who are breastfeeding. However, progestin-only contraceptive pills are usually less effective than combined contraceptives. As soon as you stop breastfeeding, it may be a good idea to ask your healthcare provider about switching to a combined contraceptive product such as LoSeasonique.
