title: Actual use of the lactational amenorrhoea method.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The lactational amenorrhoea method (LAM) is an effective contraceptive option in developing countries. Post-partum, of the women who accept to apply LAM, many never do. Our aim was to determine the actual use of LAM.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 326 post-partum women who accepted LAM use were recruited. After 6 months, they were asked if they actually had applied the method or not. In a logistic regression analysis, nine socio-demographic and clinical variables were studied as predictors of actual LAM use. An alpha level was set at 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, of the 326 women, only 61 (18.7%) actually applied LAM. The mean duration of LAM use was 4.3 +/- 0.2 months. The main reason for not applying LAM was that women thought the method was ineffective (66.0%). The variable time of menses resumption emerged as a predictor of LAM use (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite post-partum acceptance, most women did not actually apply LAM. In our setting as well as in other developing countries, regular contacts with a health care provider could improve LAM use.
authors.affiliation: Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Leon, Guanajuato, México. gustavo.romerog@imss.gob.mx
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romero-Gutiérrez
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vaca-Ortiz
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ponce-Ponce de León
authors.forename: M Guadalupe
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: López-Martínez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008598:Menstruation; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors