> From:   Patricia Newton <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: supply and progesterone
> [Due to the IVF, she took prometrium from about 4 weeks until 36 weeks of =
> her pregnancy. Could her inadequate supply of bm be linked to a possible =
> low level of progesterone? Input anyone?
>

Patricia,
We've had more than one mother who've taken prometrium during a pregnancy.
They've not had problems with milk supply.  One of them gave birth several
years ago and had had lots of infertility issues, but I can't remember if she
actually had in vitro fertilization.  She did have something done to become
pregnant.  And took progesterone to maintain it.  And her breasts grew huge during
the pregnancy.  She made so much milk that after her baby was born and had
trouble with latch, she was pumping and she pumped for a friend with an adopted
baby as wel as her own. Even after hers did latch she kept pumping for the other
baby.

The progesterone as well as prolactin can attach to the parenchymal cell
membrane receptor sites.  But by doing so the progesterone can't turn the cells on
to trigger milk production.  So until the level of progesterone drops off it
is competing with prolactin for those sites.  When enough progesterone clears
from the blood stream more prolactin is able to attach to the receptor sites
to trigger milk production.  So I can't see that too little natural
progesterone would interfere with milk production.

Mardrey Swenson LLLL DC IBCLC




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