BRENTWOOD, TN – The non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), through its public-facing service known as MotherToBaby, launches LactRx, a free app providing current information on the use of medications, vaccines, diagnostic agents & drugs of misuse during breastfeeding. The LactRx app provides easy access to the LactMed database, a resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

In 2019 the NLM announced that the LactMed app was being discontinued. The announcement prompted a discussion between Phil Anderson, PharmD, FASHP, UC San Diego clinical professor and author of LactMed and Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, MotherToBaby Past President and Mommy’s Milk: Human Milk Biorepository Program Director, about MotherToBaby sponsoring a new app for LactMed. “This was a hugely popular resource with millions of hits,” said Chambers.  Because of this, she saw it as an opportunity for MotherToBaby to help build and host a new app with all of the LactMed information.

In October of 2021, the idea was brought to the leadership of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), the professional non-profit that provides the MotherToBaby no-cost service. Development commenced and LactRx was born.

“The NLM made the decision to continue supporting web access to LactMed, and to discontinue support for its app. However, in Dr. Anderson’s experience, the app was a very popular and a user-friendly mode of access to the data,” explained Chambers. “In collaboration with NLM, MotherToBaby was given permission to create the LactRx app and, thus, to expand ease of access to this critical information for providers and the public worldwide.”

To download LactRx, please click:

iPhone

Android

Information presented in the LactRx app is not intended to be a substitute for professional judgment. Users should consult personal healthcare providers for breastfeeding advice related to their particular situation.

MotherToBaby also works closely with the NLM to contribute bilingual (English/Spanish) evidence-based fact sheets regarding medications, vaccines, diseases, herbal supplements, occupational exposures and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

MotherToBaby traditionally provides information on exposures before and during a pregnancy as well as breastfeeding through its no-cost helpline 866-626-6847, texting service 855-999-3525 and website www.MotherToBaby.org, where the public can live chat or e-mail an expert.

More about OTIS and MotherToBaby

The Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) is a professional scientific society made up of individuals engaged in assessing and evaluating risks to pregnancy and breastfeeding from environmental exposures. Members include, but are not limited to, specialists in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, genetics, dysmorphology, perinatal epidemiology, teratology, behavioral teratology, pharmacy, genetic counseling, nursing, midwifery, maternal and child health, public health, and includes experts that provide MotherToBaby services and researchers that conduct MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies. MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MotherToBaby is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,000,000 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents of this release are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government. To learn more about MotherToBaby and OTIS, please visit www.MotherToBaby.org.  

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez@mothertobaby.org

The post Latest Information about Medication Safety in Breastmilk Now Easily Accessible via New LactRx App appeared first on MotherToBaby.

If you are a current MotherToBaby App User:

The app is no longer being supported or updated, so we highly recommend deleting it from all of your devices.

How Do I Prepare for the Change?

Bookmark our website, MotherToBaby.org, and add it to the home screen on your mobile device now! Everything you previously accessed on the app is now available on our mobile-friendly website.

Explore Our Website

Here are some quick links to our most popular content, which had previously been accessible from our app:

Fact Sheets: Access our library of fact sheets on 250+ exposures and how they may impact pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Pregnancy Studies: Get information on our observational pregnancy studies and forms that pregnant women can use to join a study or healthcare providers can use to refer patients to our studies.

Ask An Expert an Exposure Question: Reach out to a MotherToBaby specialist by phone, text, email, or chat to ask questions about an exposure during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Refer A Patient to our Information Service and/or Pregnancy Studies: Healthcare providers can use this form to refer their patients either to our pregnancy studies or one of our specialists for pregnancy/lactation exposure information.

Baby Blog: Access our library of blogs, which cover a wide variety of pregnancy and breastfeeding exposure topics written by our experts specifically for moms and moms-to-be.

Podcast: Tune in for lively discussions about managing exposure risks and staying healthy with our podcast host and MotherToBaby information specialist Chris Stallman.

Our Website Offers Enhanced Mobile Experiences

Our new website also provides overview pages for pregnant women with hand-selected resources on select exposure topics and offers healthcare providers custom-curated information that is specific to their field of practice. This means that all of our website users can now find relevant information while on-the-go!

The responsive design provide a seamless experience for website users to interact with our services and navigate our resources. We’ve also created an interactive map of MotherToBaby’s coverage to encourage users to find their local affiliate and connect with the team that is working to reduce the chance of preventable birth defects in our communities.

If you have any questions or would like help with information, please contact us at 866.626.6847 or click the Live Chat window in the bottom corner of your screen.

The post Retirement of the MotherToBaby App appeared first on MotherToBaby.