title: Hemodynamic changes in the breast and frontal cortex of mothers during breastfeeding.
abstract: The objective of this study was to confirm physiological reactions in the breast and brain in mothers during breastfeeding and collect basic objective data, aiming at effective support for breastfeeding. Ten healthy women who were exclusively breastfeeding their babies participated in this study. Changes in the concentration of oxygenated Hb (oxyHb) and deoxygenated Hb in the breasts and frontal cortex of these women during breastfeeding lactation were measured using double-channel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Changes were measured in three conditions: (1) in both breasts; (2) the ipsilateral breast and frontal cortex; and (3) the contralateral breast and frontal cortex. OxyHb and total Hb (totalHb) levels in the bilateral breasts decreased significantly after the onset of breastfeeding in comparison with prebreastfeeding levels. These two values repeatedly increased and decreased thereafter. In the frontal cortex, regardless of which breast was involved, oxyHb and totalHb levels increased significantly in comparison with prebreastfeeding levels. Similar hemodynamic changes occurred simultaneously in the bilateral breasts during breastfeeding regardless of the feeding or nonfeeding side. Hemodynamic changes were also noted in the frontal cortex, but the reactions in the breast and prefrontal cortex were different and not synchronous, confirming that the physiological circulatory dynamics during breastfeeding vary among organs.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusaka
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Sonoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ijichi
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sobue
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Isobe
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen