Fertility in postpartum lactating women

This article describes the results of a prospective study on breastfeeding and natural family. 73 women living in three different locations (Sydney, Australia, Montreal, Canada; Birmingham, UK) were followed in terms of vaginal bleeding, practice of breastfeeding and the level of ovarian activity determined from the daily urine . Insofar as menstruation resumes often precedes the resumption of ovulation during the first months postpartum, the authors attempted to assess the risk that might expose the occurrence of bleeding occurring before 56 days postpartum in the women using LAM (Lactational Amenorrhea Method).

33 women (46%) had vaginal bleeding between 6 and 8 weeks postpartum. These women had an earlier return of menses (28 weeks against 33 weeks in women who did not submit bleeding during this period), and a quicker return of ovulation (32 weeks against 37 weeks). Of these 33 women, 5 showed clear signs of follicular development, although there has been no ovulation for at least the first menstrual cycle. Only one woman presented with an ovulation J71, above all returned, but his practice of breastfeeding did not meet the criteria of LAM (breastfeeding exclusively or almost exclusively). No woman presented to ovulation before day 56. In all women, the return of menses occurred on average four weeks before the resumption of ovulation.



Although on a small group of women, this study suggests that bleeding occurring before day 56 do not put women at higher risk of pregnancy. All bleeding occurring before that time in women exclusively breastfeeding were followed by at least one anovulatory cycle. This information may be useful to help a nursing mother to exclusively choose when it will be useful to introduce a new method of contraception.