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COVID-19 Pandemic Research

Breastfeeding Baby in Pandemic

Breastfeeding in a Pandemic???

Being a new mom is hard in the best of times. How has COVID-19 impacted your breastfeeding experience? We want to know! Please help future mothers and their babies by taking our research survey.

Remdesivir in Breast Milk

We are interested in finding out whether remdesivir (a treatment for COVID-19) transfers into breast milk. We are looking for women who are breastfeeding, 0-9 months postpartum, currently diagnosed with COVID-19, and being treated with remdesivir.

COVID-19 and Infant feeding

Mothers with COVID-19 from around the U.S. are wanted to participate in this study about infection risk and immunity in infants.
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Infant Taste Preference Influenced in Utero and During Breastfeeding

Many parents would like their children to develop taste preferences for a wide variety of foods, particularly healthy foods like vegetables. Food taste and flavor play a large role in food choices and preferences, and both biological and environmental factors influence taste preference in infants.
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Research

Every year my center publishes drugs studies and with information about the transfer of selected drugs into their mothers milk. Take a look at these drugs and see if you might be willing to participate in one of these studies. They are really easy, just collect samples of your milk every few hours, freeze them,  and send them back to my laboratories. We pay for overnight mailing.

 

 

Participate in Research

RECENT ARTICLES

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding may Lower Risk of Early Menopause

More research is being done on prevention of early menopause and a study recently published in JAMA found that pregnancy and breastfeeding may decrease risk of early menopause.

Breastfeeding after Breast Augmentation

Cosmetic breast surgery is popular in the United States. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation was the most popular cosmetic surgery in 2019. Some evidence indicates that women with breast implants may have more difficulty with lactation than non-augmented women.

Fish Oil Supplementation during Pregnancy and Lactation

​​​​​​​Fatty fish, like anchovies or salmon, is an excellent source of essential fatty acids. These fatty acids, particularly DHA, are necessary for retinal and brain development. Mothers who eat plenty of fish during pregnancy and breastfeeding may protect their babies from future low verbal IQ scores.

Introducing Complementary (Solid) Foods

It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that babies be breastfed exclusively until about 6 months. At 6 months, a baby’s needs, particularly for certain micronutrients, exceed what can be provided by breast milk alone.

Monoclonal Antibody Drugs in Breastfeeding Moms

Monoclonal antibodies are molecules created in a lab to function like antibodies of the immune system and are important in the treatment of organ transplant, chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers. These antibodies are made by immune cells that are identical clones of a starting parent cell (hence the “clonal” part of monoclonal) and are designed to bind to a specific antigen.

Clomiphene and Breastfeeding

Clomiphene is a common drug that women use to help stimulate ovulation.  Clomiphene increases the chance that eggs will be released from a woman’s ovaries by stimulating the secretion of several hormones used to regulate their reproductive cycle. It works primarily on the estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus of the brain.

Is Ketamine Safe to Use for Depression During Pregnancy?

The fast-acting nasal spray esketamine, marketed as SpravatoTM, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression in individuals whose depression has been resistant to at least two medications. Structurally, esketamine is an enantiomer, or mirror image, of ketamine and works by a similar mechanism.

Cold and Flu Medications While Breastfeeding

As cold and flu season swings into full effect, runny noses, coughing, and body aches leave many breastfeeding mothers wondering whether some quick relief from over-the-counter medications could negatively impact their breastfeeding baby. Research shows that some cold and flu medications are better than others when it comes to breastfeeding. Dextromethorphan, acetaminophen, and doxylamine succinate are common active ingredients in cold and flu syrups such as NyQuil and DayQuil along with their generic ingredients.

Whats New about Zika Virus Infections in Breastfeeding Moms

Zika virus is a flavivirus transmitted by the Aedes mosquitoes. Only 20% of adults infected will have clinical manifestations such as low-grade fevers, itchy rash, joint pain in the hands and feet, and eye inflammation. Current outbreaks are in the Americas, Caribbean, and Pacific, but cases have been seen around the world.

InfantRisk Center Team

Dr. Thomas Hale, PhD, RPh

Dr. Thomas Hale, PhD, RPh

Thomas Hale, Ph.D., R.Ph., is a professor of pediatrics and associate dean of research at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and acting executive director of the InfantRisk Center. Hale is considered one of the foremost expert in the field of perinatal pharmacology and the use of medications by pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

The vision of the InfantRisk Center is to create a new body of drug information concerning the safety of medications and their use during pregnancy and lactation. Additionally, the center will expand, enhance and disseminate knowledge regarding the use of medications and other environmental chemicals by pregnant and breastfeeding women worldwide.

Dr. Teresa Baker

Dr. Teresa Baker

Teresa Baker, MD. graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern and completed her residency training at Parkland Health and Hospital System in Dallas, TX. She is Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Dr. Baker has a combined private and academic OB/GYN practice with the University Physicians at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Amarillo. She is interested in teen pregnancy, postpartum depression, and promoting preventive medicine for the women of the Texas Panhandle, as well as Resident and Student education and serves as the Residency Director.

Dr. Christine D. Garner, PhD, RD

Dr. Christine D. Garner, PhD, RD

 

Christine D. Garner, PhD, RD, completed her doctorate Nutrition at Cornell University, where she was an NIH Doctoral Trainee in Maternal and Child Nutrition. She was trained as a Registered Dietitian at the University of California San Francisco, where she also worked for several years as a Pediatric Clinical Dietitian.

Garner’s interests involve maternal and child health from a nutritional perspective. The majority of her research has centered on maternal obesity and breastfeeding, and she has used a combination of statistical and qualitative methods to investigate research questions pertaining to these topics.

Dr. Palika Datta, PhD

Dr. Palika Datta, PhD

Palika Datta Ph.D. is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University School of Medicine. She completed her Ph.D. in All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Dr. Datta did postdoctoral work at TTUHSC School of Pharmacy before joining the InfantRisk Center 4 years ago. She has broad experience in conventional biochemistry and molecular biology techniques. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, Microarray, Protein expression, purification in mammalian and bacterial cell culture system. Dr. Datta runs and supervises our highly sophisticated clinical pharmacology laboratories.

Kaytlin Krutsch, PharmD, MBA

Kaytlin Krutsch, PharmD, MBA

Kaytlin Krutsch, PharmD, MBA is a board-certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist with a background in nutrition, clinical pharmacy, managed healthcare, and entrepreneurship. She is an assistant professor Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. 

 

Dr. Krutsch is pursuing a PhD in translating knowledge to action at The George Washington University. She is passionate about improving the decision-making process when a mom’s need for medication is complicated by breastfeeding and the risks involved with exposing an infant to the drug. This starts with studying  which medications transfer into milk and ends with moms making informed decisions.

Kathleen A Rewers-Felkins

Kathleen A Rewers-Felkins

Kathleen A Rewers-Felkins is a Research Associate in the Department of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University School of Medicine. She received her Bachelors of Science from Loyola University Chicago and completed her Masters of Science at University of Houston. She has worked for Harrington Cancer Center, including a clinical trial as well as in several TT research labs, involved with cell culture, bacterial culture, PCR assays, animal work and liquid chromatography/mass spectrophotometry.

Dr. Amanda Griffin, MD

Dr. Amanda Griffin, MD

Amanda Griffin MD graduated from University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed her residency training in Pediatrics from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. Her practice includes direct patient care as well as supervision and education of residents and students in the outpatient clinic, newborn nursery, and inpatient ward. She also serves the same roles in a clinic for children with special healthcare needs.

Dr. Griffin also helped establish and presently supervised a breastfeeding clinic in the Department of Pediatrics. She supervises a Board Certified Lactation Consultant and helped expand the access of our patients to lactation services in our community. She is a Pediatric hospitalist and admits and cares for inpatients of private pediatricians in Amarillo.

Dr. Mubariiz Naqvi, MD

Dr. Mubariiz Naqvi, MD

Dr. Mubariz Naqvi, MD is a long-time member of the Department of Pediatrics. He is Professor of Pediatrics and is a board certified neonatologist. Dr. Naqvi has spent many years supporting the use of human milk in his premature infants. He is a member of the Critical Care Committee, Neonatal Transport Committee, Pediatric Residency Committee, Chair of Education Research Sub-committee, and numerous other hospital and educational committees. Dr. Naqvi is Board Certified by American Academy of Pediatrics with a subspecialty Board of in Subspecialty Board of Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine.

Dr. Rachel Anderson, MD

Dr. Rachel Anderson, MD

Rachel Anderson MD is an assistant professor of pediatrics. She graduated from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in 2013 and completed her Pediatric residency at TTUHSC Amarillo in 2016. She has interests in Foster Care, breastfeeding, child abuse and neglect, and other disorders in pediatrics.

Dr. Todd Bell

Dr. Todd Bell

Todd Bell, MD. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics although he is double boarded in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine. He received his MD from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine cum laude in 2001. He completed a combined general internal medicine and general pediatrics residency in Durham, North Carolina at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Bell has extensive research experience, particularly in influenza, infectious diseases, and dysautonomia.

Sandra Lovato, RN

Sandra Lovato, RN

Sandra Lovato, RN is a Registered Nurse and telephone advisor for the InfantRisk Center. She received her ADN from the Amarillo College of School of Nursing in May of 2008. She began working at the InfantRisk Center in November of 2013 as a Senior Adviser for Dr. Hale. Since she began working under Dr. Hale, she has learned a lot about the effects of medications and their passage into breastmilk. She is glad to be a part of such a valuable and important resource for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers and seeks to help mothers have a long, healthy breastfeeding relationship with their child.

Alicia Gill, RN

Alicia Gill, RN

Alicia Gill, RN is a Registered Nurse and telephone advisor for the Infant Risk Center. She graduated the Vocational Nursing Program from Clarendon College in 2007. Then she received her ADN from Amarillo College in 2010. She began working at the Infant Risk Center in June of 2019 as a Senior Advisor for Dr. Hale. She has learned a lot about the effects of medications and their passage into breastmilk. She is excited to be a part of an important and valuable research center for pregnant and breast feeding moms.