Post-partum anovulation in nursing mothers.
An analysis of breastfeeding and ovulation data from 72 nursing mothers is presented. A proportional hazards model of the data strengthens the hypothesis that a pattern of short, frequent bouts of nursing defines a risk-set of women less susceptible to post-partum ovulation than those who choose to nurse on a schedule of relatively lengthy and infrequent bouts. In contrast, no effect of maternal weight-for-height on the month-specific rate of post-partum ovulation could be detected in the study population comprised of American mothers trained in self-observation of fertility signs.
Taylor
H W
HW
School of Science and Technology, New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas 87701.
Smith
R E
RE
Samuels
S J
SJ
D000858:Anovulation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015993:Life Tables; D049590:Postpartum Period; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors