Breast Pump Adapters Recalled For Shock Risk

Playtex Manufacturing Inc. has announced that it is voluntarily recalling AC/DC power adapters that are packaged with the Playtex® Nurser Deluxe Double Electric Breast Pump, after discovering that the adapters' can potentially shock consumers.

According to a public health warning released by the Food and Drug Administration, the adapters in question are being recalled because it was discovered that the casing on some of the adapters may loosen and pose a risk for a potential electric shock.

According to the release, Playtex's voluntary recall is being conducted in conjunction with the FDA in an "abundance of caution." Playtex has assured the public that the safety of their consumers is always their highest priority.

The nationwide recall is still occurring, as the product was sold by specialty and online retailers. The retailers, who are numerous, are still being contracted about the defective adapters. In the meantime, consumers who have already purchased the product have been asked to contact Playtex directly to receive a replacement adapter.

The recall was announced by the FDA on March 18.

According to the FDA, use of the electric breast pump is most prevalent in the U.S. and Canada, where working mothers who still desire to breast feed often pump and bottle their breast milk so their child can have a constant supply even when they return to work.

The benefits of feeding a baby their mother's milk have long been supported by research that claims that a regular supply of mother's milk can vastly improve cognitive and muscle development in infants, compared to the development of children feeding off formula alone.

However, recent research argues against that claim, providing evidence that shows that the benefits of breast feeding may have been severely overstated -- potentially rendering breast pumps an unnecissary expense.