Jane:  You asked about whether there was any connection
between infertility and low milk supply.  I've read (but
can't find the sources) in several articles on polycystic
ovarian syndrome (PCOS) that this hormonal problem not only
interferes with ovulation, but may influence lactation as
well.  In PCOS, there is too much estrogen-- I would think
that this may decrease milk supply much the same way oral
contraceptives with estrogen would.

Was the mother you wrote about infertile because of her
prolactin levels being off?  I know of a woman that had
galactorrhea as a young woman, and subsequently had a
pituitary tumor removed which was producing too much
prolactin.  She never was able to concieve and adopted 2
children.  She had the opposite problem, though!!  She told
me that she was still producing lots of milk when she got
her first child, but the doctor told her not to breastfeed,
or her tumor might come back (this was probably 15 years
ago.)  Too bad she didn't have any other sources of
support-- she probably could have totally breastfed her
adopted son.  Anyhow, maybe if prolactin levels were
abnormally low in your client, this would interfere with
supply and also effect ability to concieve.

Sorry I don't have any sources handy, but maybe PCOS and
prolactin would be a good starting point if you are going to
rev up the search engines!!

Julie Jarvis RPA-C
Kansas, USA--  mailto:[log in to unmask]