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Tue, 5 Mar 1996 08:45:19 -0600 |
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This is Dr. Scott-Conner's reply to my query about nursing with a breast
abscess. Anyone care to comment either directly to her, or to her and
LactNet?
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>Date: Mon, 4 Mar 96 18:27:56 -0600
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>To: [log in to unmask]
>From: "Dr. Carol Scott-Conner" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Nursing with breast abscess
>Cc: [log in to unmask]
>
>Dear Dr Dettwyler
>
>I have reviewed the original papers which formed the basis of that section
>of my paper (a copy is on its way to you) and the brief segment on our web
>page. Here is my synthesis of what I have read so far:
>
>Most sources agree that nursing can and should be continued for the woman
>with mastitis and that there is no danger to the infant. The issue is
>whether or not it is safe to continue to do so once abscess formation has
>occurred. An abscess is a localized collection of pus within the substance
>of the breast and is associated with higher bacterial counts in the milk.
> The sources I have reviewed are divided on the safety of continuing
>to nurse when the infectious process has progressed to frank abscess
>formation. There is general agreement that the source of infection is
>frequently the infant. There are scattered reports associating severe and
>even fatal septic complications in infants who nursed from breasts afflicted
>with breast abscesses. An excellent review of the issues involved is given
>in a paper by Katzman & Wald, in The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
>Vol 6, No 3, 1987, pp 295-296. Anecdotal case reports are given in two
>letters to the editor in the journal Pediatrics, Volume 91, number 1, 1977,
>pp 158-159. In contrast, it is difficult if not impossible to know how many
>times women have successfully continued to nurse without ill effect to the
>infant. In view of all this it is difficult for me to feel comfortable
>advocating nursing from the breast affected by a breast abscess.
>
>Best wishes. Carol Scott-Conner MD PhD
>
>
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Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D. email: [log in to unmask]
Anthropology Department phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX 77843-4352
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