Domperidone tied to modest increase in breast milk supply

(HealthDay)—Domperidone is well tolerated and effective in producing a moderate short-term increase in expressed breast milk volume among mothers of preterm infants, according to a review published online Feb. 22 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Luke E. Grzeskowiak, Ph.D., from the University of Adelaide in Australia, and colleagues conducted a literature review to identify randomized controlled trials that compared domperidone with placebo in mothers of preterm infants (<37 weeks' gestation) experiencing insufficient milk supply.

The researchers identified five trials consisting of 194 women. Pooled analysis showed a moderate increase in breast milk volume of 88.3 mL/day with the use of domperidone versus placebo. Maternal adverse events were similar between the groups (odds ratio, 1.05; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.65 to 1.71), with no reported cases of prolonged QTc syndrome or sudden cardiac death.

"Domperidone is well tolerated and results in a moderate short-term increase in expressed breast milk volume among mothers of preterm infants previously identified as having insufficient breast milk supply," the authors write.