Which opioid should be avoided in mothers who are breastfeeding their babies?
Codeine is a prodrug that is metabolized extensively to morphine. The parent compound codeine and its morphine metabolite are readily excreted into breast milk. Respiratory depression and death have occurred in children who received codeine and morphine through the breast milk but in particular from mothers that are phenotypic CYP 2D6 ultrarapid metabolizers.
