Last update May 24, 2022

Urea

Compatible

Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.

Urea or Carbamide is the product of degradation of proteins in humans and mammals in general. It is found naturally in the body, including blood, bile and breastmilk (Wheeler RA 1991, Ross SA 1985. It is eliminated through urine and sweat.

Its concentration is 10mg/dL in colostrum and 30 mg/dL in mature milk (Lawrence 2016 p 767). It diffuses passively into breastmilk from blood plasma. (Lawrence 2016 p 368)

In medicine it is used in the form of dermatological creams as a moisturizer and, at high concentrations, as a keratolytic.

Since the last update we have not found published data on its excretion in breastmilk.

The small dose and low plasma absorption of most topical dermatological preparations make transfer of significant amounts into breastmilk very unlikely.

Expert authors consider it compatible with breastfeeding (Hale 2017 p 966, Briggs 2017) provided, according to some, it is not applied over large areas of the skin or in occlusive dressings that could increase its absorption. (Schaefer 20007, p 766)


See below the information of this related product:

Alternatives

We do not have alternatives for Urea since it is relatively safe.

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

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Other names

Urea is also known as


Urea in other languages or writings:

Group

Urea belongs to this group or family:

Tradenames

Main tradenames from several countries containing Urea in its composition:

Pharmacokinetics

Variable Value Unit
Molecular weight 60 daltons
pKa 15.7 -

References

  1. Hale TW, Rowe HE. Medications & Mothers' Milk. A Manual of Lactation Pharmacology. Springer Publishing Company. 2017
  2. Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Breastfeeding. A guide for the medical profession. Eighth Edition. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2016
  3. Briggs GG, Freeman RK, Towers CV, Forinash AB. Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation: A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk. Wolters Kluwer Health. Tenth edition (acces on line) 2015
  4. Schaefer C, Peters P, Miller RK. Drugs During Pregnancy and Lactation. Treatment options and risk assessment. Elsevier, second edition. London. 2007
  5. AEMPS. Urea C13. Ficha técnica. 2004 Full text (in our servers)
  6. Wheeler RA, Jackson AA, Griffiths DM. Urea production and recycling in neonates. J Pediatr Surg. 1991 Abstract
  7. Ross SA, Clark RM. Nitrogen distribution in human milk from 2 to 16 weeks postpartum. J Dairy Sci. 1985 Abstract

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e-lactancia is a resource recommended by Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine - 2015 of United States of America

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