Hi everyone, I have a patient who has been diagnosed with otosclerosis (a genetic disease of the ear which causes progressive deafness). The ENT has told her to stop breastfeeding her three month old inmediately beause it will worsen her condition. In many medical texts it says that pregnancy and breastfeeding are a risk factor for and can speed up and worsen the disease. However, I cannot find any studies to support this. The only thing I have found is a study by Lippy and his group that says precisely the opposite: * *Laryngoscope. <javascript:AL_get(this,%20'jour',%20'Laryngoscope.');>2005 Oct;115(10):1833-6. <javascript:PopUpMenu2_Set(Menu16222205);>*Does pregnancy affect otosclerosis?**Lippy WH*<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Lippy%20WH%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract>, *Berenholz LP*<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Berenholz%20LP%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract>, *Schuring AG*<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Schuring%20AG%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract>, *Burkey JM*<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=Search&Term=%22Burkey%20JM%22%5BAuthor%5D&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstract> . Were it says that ninety-four women (47 with children and 47 without) were evaluated. Because many of the women had bilateral otosclerosis, the total number of ears studied was 128. There was no difference in discrimination scores between groups. Within the group with children, no significant correlation was found between number of children and hearing loss. Also, no correlation was found between breastfeeding and the amount of hearing loss. I have no access to the whole article, so I cannot know how long the breastfeeding was, wether it was exclusive etc etc. Actually, Lippy says in another article that the relationship between otoseclerosis and pregnancy was a Nazi "plot" to promote racial purity - that is, a way to scare women with otosclerosis into not having children and therefore not passing on the defect. Any way, can anyone out there shed any true scientific light on this issue? Thanks in advance, Kika -- Dra. Carmela Baeza Médico de Familia Consultora Certificada en Lactancia Materna IBCLC www.centroraices.com Comprometida con el Derecho a Vivir http://derechoavivir.org *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
