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Varicella Vaccine in Breast MilkBohlke K, Galil K, Jackson LA, et al: Postpartum Varicella Vaccination: Is the Vaccine Virus Excreted in Breast Milk? Obstetrics & Gynecology 2003; 102(5):970-977.
Varicella vaccine is recommended for susceptible, nonpregnant women of childbearing age. If the woman is already pregnant, clinicians postpone the vaccination until 6 weeks after the delivery. These authors evaluated breast milk for the presence of varicella vaccine virus and looked for serologic evidence of infant exposure to varicella virus after maternal vaccination. Twelve women participated in the study, all of whom were varicella seronegative during prenatal screening and received their first dose of varicella vaccine at 6 weeks postpartum. Researchers tested breast milk samples for varicella zoster virus and collected serum specimens from the mothers and peripheral blood from the infants.
There was no evidence of varicella vaccine virus excreted in the breast milk. This study, while small, suggests that varicella vaccination should not be delayed in women who are varicella susceptible and breast-feeding.