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Pregnancy: No sufficient safety experience is available regarding vancomycin during human pregnancy. Reproduction toxicological studies on animals do not suggest any effects on the development of the embryo, foetus or gestation period.
However, vancomycin penetrates the placenta and a potential risk of embryonal and neonatal ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity cannot be excluded. Therefore vancomycin should be given in pregnancy only if clearly needed and after a careful risk/benefit evaluation.
Lactation: Vancomycin is excreted in human milk and should be therefore used in lactation period only if other antibiotics have failed. Vancomycin should be cautiously given to breastfeeding mothers because of potential adverse reactions in the infant (disturbances in the intestinal flora with diarrhoea, colonisation with yeast-like fungi and possibly sensibilisation).
Considering the importance of this medicine for nursing mother, the decision should to stop breastfeeding should be considered.
