A study of breastfeeding and the return of menses and pregnancy in Karachi, Pakistan.
A longitudinal study of breastfeeding women was conducted to determine whether breastfeeding frequency is associated with the length of postpartum amenorrhea. The data are also conducive to testing the guidelines of the "Bellagio Consensus" (i.e., that there is no more than a 2% chance of pregnancy during breastfeeding in the first six months postpartum in the absence of vaginal bleeding and regular supplements). Twenty-eight breastfeeding women were followed-up weekly in Karachi, Pakistan. The frequency of breastfeeding was found to be a poor correlate of the duration of amenorrhea. Thirty-six percent of the women became pregnant during the study. However, all were having menses and/or giving regular supplements before the estimated date of conception, consistent with the Bellagio Consensus. In countries such as Pakistan, where contraceptive use is low, active promotion is needed to prevent the further decline of breastfeeding in order to retain its contraceptive as well as other maternal and child health benefits.
National Research Institute for Fertility Control, Karachi, Pakistan.
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Khan
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Kennedy
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Kazi
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Steiner
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003075:Coitus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008598:Menstruation; D010154:Pakistan; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors