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The MedMilk (Medication concentrations in human Milk) study investigates how selected medicines taken by breastfeeding women are transferred into human milk and whether this may affect the breastfed child. The study includes breastfeeding women who are already using prescription or over-the-counter medicines as part of their usual care. Participants provide samples of breast milk and urine and complete a questionnaire about maternal and infant health. The collected data will be used to quantify medicine concentrations in milk and estimate the relative infant dose. The study aims to contribute new data to support safer prescribing and more informed counselling during breastfeeding
The MedMilk (Medication concentrations in human Milk) study is a prospective, exploratory clinical study coordinated by the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Denmark. The study is observational in nature and involves no experimental drug administration. Participants are breastfeeding women using medicines as part of their routine treatment.
Each participant will provide four small breast milk samples (1-20 mL each) collected at different time points in relation to maternal drug intake, one urine sample, and questionnaire data on maternal and infant health, breastfeeding patterns, and any infant symptoms potentially related to drug exposure. Samples are stored at -80 °C in a dedicated research biobank until analysis.
Drug concentrations in milk and urine will primarily be quantified using solid Phase Extraction coupled with UPLC-MS/MS. Data will be analyzed descriptively, and relative infant doses (RID) will be calculated. For drugs with sufficient sampling density.
Results will add to the limited body of systematic data on drug transfer into human milk and help inform clinical decision-making regarding medication use during breastfeeding.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding women on medication |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prescription Drugs | Drug | Exposure to prescription medicines taken by breastfeeding women during routine treatment. The study does not assign medications but observes drug transfer into human milk from exposures occurring as part of usual care. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Drug concentrations in human milk | Quantification of drug concentrations in human milk, expressed in micrograms per millilitre (µg/mL). Milk samples are collected before and after the maternal dose within one dosing interval. | Within one dosing interval |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Infant Dose (RID) | Estimation of infant drug exposure, expressed as the relative infant dose (% of maternal weight-adjusted dose). | Within one dosing interval |
| Maternal-reported infant adverse effects |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Simulated infant plasma levels | We will estimate the infant plasma level of the specific drug expressed as microgram pr. millilitre μg/ml based on pharmacokinetic modelling of infant, and drug characteristics and drug concentrations in milk samples. | During one dosing interval |
| Simulated Area Under the Curve (AUC) |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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Participants will be lactating women recruited through obstetric, neonatal, and psychiatric departments, public health visiting nurses, and counselling services across Denmark. Recruitment will be coordinated by the Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen. The study primarily targets women using prescription and over-the-counter medicines during breastfeeding and aims to represent real-world exposure patterns across all Danish regions.
| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ditte Resendal Gotfredsen, MD | Contact | +4521472051 | ditte.resendal.gotfredsen@regionh.dk | |
| Jon Traerup Andersen, Professor, MD, PhD | Contact | jon.thor.traerup.andersen@regionh.dk |
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Jon Traerup Andersen, Professor, MD, PhD | Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Bispbjeg and Frederiksberg Hospital | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Clinical Pharmacology | Recruiting | Copenhagen | Denmark |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42215272 | Derived | Resendal Gotfredsen D, Heerfordt IM, Kahler Byskov P, Horwitz H, Gade C, Loekkegaard E, Friis-Hansen L, Bach Nielsen Fruekilde P, Cvetanovska E, Joergensen NR, Pedersen LH, Andersen JT. Medication concentrations in human milk and potential adverse effects in breastfed infants (MedMilk): a protocol for an observational clinical study. BMJ Open. 2026 May 29;16(5):e119958. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-119958. |
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Study protocol, SAP and ICF after protocol publication. Analytical code and summary results after completion of data collection and analyses.
Requests for data access can be directed to the principal investigator. Data sharing will require relevant approvals under Danish GDPR.
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D001942 | Breast Feeding |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D005247 | Feeding Behavior |
| D001519 | Behavior |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D055553 | Prescription Drugs |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D004364 | Pharmaceutical Preparations |
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breast milk urine
Maternal questionnaire on infant symptoms potentially related to drug exposure via breastfeeding.
| At the time of inclusion. Montly follow-up for three months. |
We will estimate the 95th percentile of the pediatric Area Under the Curve (AUC) (μg x h/mL) based on pharmacokinetic modelling of infant, and drug characteristics and drug concentrations in milk samples. |
| During one dosing interval |
| Biobank establishment | Milk and urine samples stored for future pharmacokinetic analyses and secondary research | Within one dosing interval |
| Mental health services, Capital Region of Denmark | Recruiting | Copenhagen | Denmark |
| Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Herlev Hospital | Recruiting | Herlev | Denmark |