Boceprevir has been removed from the US market. It has not been studied in nursing mothers being treated for hepatitis C infection. Because it must be used with ribavirin and peginterferon alfa, it is not considered a good choice during breastfeeding. Until more data become available, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
Hepatitis C is not transmitted through breastmilk and breastmilk has been shown to inactivate hepatitis C virus (HCV).[1-4] However, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that mothers with HCV infection should consider abstaining from breastfeeding if their nipples are cracked or bleeding. It is not clear if this warning would apply to mothers who are being treated for hepatitis C.
Infants born to mothers with HCV infection should be tested for HCV infection; because maternal antibody is present for the first 18 months of life and before the infant mounts an immunologic response, nucleic acid testing is recommended.[1,4]