Dear Elaine:
In a quick search of the Internet (I typed in "prolactin" and "ligaments"
into the Google search engine), I came up with a webpage
(http://uscnurse.usc.edu/class/579/files/1.ppt) that accesses a
presentation on postpartum anatomy and physiology by Lee Eunju Kwak, a
member of the faculty of the University of Southern California's Department
of Nursing. (I stopped looking when I found this, so there might be other
links of interest.) Her presentation states that the broad and round
ligaments constrict to a nonpregnant state by 6 weeks postpartum. She
doesn't qualify this information with any comments on it happening
differently in breastfeeding vs. nonbreastfeeding mothers--though she does
make such qualifications regarding other processes addressed in her
presentation. No references were given in the presentation, but she might
be able to provide them upon request. Her email was listed in the USC
faculty directory at http://uscnurse.usc.edu/FacultyDirectoryList.asp. This
information, if correct in the context of breastfeeding mothers, suggests
to me that an elective surgery in which it was appropriate for ligaments to
not be relaxed might be better to postpone for after the sixth week
postpartum based on the residual effects of pregnancy hormones. However, if
ligaments return to a nonpregnant state within six weeks in *any* mother
regardless of infant feeding choice, then prolactin would not seem to be a
very potent cause of ligament relaxation. It would be interesting to see
what a further search of the Internet and databases such as PubMed would
reveal. Also, the question arises, "What physiological purpose would be
served if prolactin relaxed ligaments?" While birth logically requires the
relaxation of ligaments during pregnancy, why would breastfeeding require
this?
I would love to see the surgeon's references. And, perhaps he would benefit
from reading, Jack Newman's "When Breastfeeding Isn't Contraindicated"
(http://www.lalecheleague.org/ba/May97.html).
Please post Lee Kwak's information if you are able to obtain it. I have no
more time to pursue this right now, but I saw no other posts on the topic
and wanted to try to help a little.
Best wishes,
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS, IBCLC, RLC
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell
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