Literature review for - Flourish Paediatrics

Contraception and Breastfeeding
The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine has published a detailed protocol on contraception
during breastfeeding (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine 2006).
In a further review of contraception during lactation King concluded:
“The benefits of breastfeeding for both the infant and the mother are undisputed. Longer
intervals between births decrease foetal/infant and maternal complications. Lactation is an
effective contraceptive for the first 6 months postpartum only if women breastfeed exclusively
and at regular intervals, including night time. Because a high percentage of women in the
United States supplement breastfeeding, it is important for these women to choose a method
of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies” (King 2007).
Reviews of specific methods include Isley on contraceptive implants (Isley and Edelman
2007), Roy on injectable contraceptives (Roy 2010), and Kapp on oral contraceptives (Kapp,
Curtis et al. 2010; Kapp and Curtis 2010).
The main interest in contraception and lactation is in lactational amenorrhoea.
Lactational Amenorrhea
The lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) is described as:
“A postpartum method of family planning. If a woman is amenorrhoeic, fully or nearly fully
breastfeeding day and night, and less than six months postpartum, she is 98 percent protected
against pregnancy.” (WHO 1995)
The Lactational Amenorrhoea Method ( ie breastfeeding ) provides important benefits for
nursing infants. Breastfeeding provides special nutritional benefits to the infant and protects
against diarrhoea, coughs and colds, and other common illnesses.
No new studies have been published in Australia on lactational amenorrhea since the last
edition of the Infant Feeding Guidelines. We have included summaries of the Cochrane
Review (2002) and the most recent study of lactational amenorrhoea in Australia, which was
also published in 2002.
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