In a few weeks I will be compilling data from at least a hundred tatooed
and pierced mothers (as well as a control group) about body art and
lactation. If anyone has any relevent published research I can access to
help with the history portion of the article I would appreciate the link or
journal reference.

As you probably know, there is little if any real data on this situation. I
work with many young mothers and the question of recieving body art while
lactating comes up quite a bit. We are now erring on the side of caution
and telling mothers to wait, but as many of us have sometimes decades of
pregnancy and lactation back to back we need real hard data on disease
tranmission and healing rates. All we have now are vague assumptions about
body art and disease transmission. There has not, to my knowlege, been a
study done on young womyn of childbearing age only. They often have mush
different histories and lower risk factors than the older male participants
in other body art studies.

The study is purely data collection on procedures that have already been
done, thier timing, number of children, dates of body modification and HIV
and Hep status. No procedures or testing will be done on any of the
participants. They will not be asked to modify their mothering or nursing
patterns in any way.

The survey will be completed in about a month and then will be ready for
the mothers to respond. I have a professional piercer (and nursing mama of
two) helping me with the particulars of the body art world. I am looking
for a tattoo artist to help also.

If anyone has any relevant published data I can access or knows of mothers
who would like to fill out the questionaire let me know. I will be setting
up either a separate website or PO Box for the data collection.

Mary Jozwiak IBCLC, AAPL, LLLleader, lactating mama
Private Practice

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