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Many women who breast feed their infants do not want to become pregnant during the time when they are breastfeeding. These women desire a safe and effective method of contraception that will not effect their breastfeeding. The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) is safe and under certain circumstances quite effective.
Nonhormonal methods of contraception including male and female
condoms, diaphragms, and IUDs are safe during lactation, and have
varying degrees of effectiveness. Progestin only forms of hormonal
contraception including pills and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate
(Depoprovera) have been shown to produce no changes in breast milk
composition, breast milk supply, duration of breastfeeding or infant
growth. Concern has been raised about progesterone containing
compounds causing decreased milk supply if these hormones are started
immediately after delivery. Both Hannon and Halderman evaluated the
effect of progestin only pills or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate on
the duration of lactation when the contraception was started within
the first 3 days postpartum. Both studies showed that the early
postpartum administration of progestin only contraception had no
effect on the duration of lactation in the first 2-4 months
post-partum, on supplementation during breastfeeding, or on the
frequency of breastfeeding (
The use of the combined estrogen/progestin oral contraceptives can
cause decreased milk production in breastfeeding women. Use of the
lowest dose estrogen containing pill may help minimize this effect.
The effect of the pills on decreasing milk production varies among
women and may be transient (
The effect of the estrogen containing contraceptive patch on breastfeeding has not been studied. |
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