FERTILITY AFTER CHILDBIRTH: INFANT FEEDING PATTERNS, BASAL PRL LEVELS AND POST‐PARTUM OVULATION

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Abstract
The infant feeding patterns at the time of 1st ovulation after childbirth were determined in a longitudinal study of 27 mothers who chose to breast feed their babies. Fourteen mothers suppressed ovulation throughout lactation and 13 ovulated while still breast feeding. Those who ovulated while breast feeding had all introduced 2 or more supplementary feeds/day, reduced suckling frequency to less than 6 times/day and reduced suckling duration to less than 60 min/day at the time of 1st ovulation. Basal PRL [prolactin] levels had fallen to below 600 .mu.U/l in all but 1 of the mothers at 1st ovulation. Those mothers who suppressed ovulation for more than 40 wk post-partum (late ovulation group) were compared with those who ovulated between 30 and 40 wk post-partum (middle group) and with those who ovulated before 30 wk post-partum (early group). The late ovulation group breast-fed longest, suckled most intensively, maintained night feeds for longest and introduced supplementary feeds most gradually. Apparently suckling may be the most important factor inhibiting the return of ovulation during lactation. Policies which encourage increased suckling frequency and duration may maximize the contraceptive effects of breast feeding.

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