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Subject:
From:
Lisa Richter <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 4 Mar 2005 11:37:15 -0600
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      Hello! My name is Lisa Richter and I am a junior nursing student 
at the University of North Dakota. I am currently taking a childbearing
class and I just finished my rotation on the OB floor.  I have joined this listserv several weeks ago and have enjoyed reading the discussions and concerns with breastfeeding.  I chose this listserv because I want to learn more about breastfeeding so I can help educate others.  
      I am especially interested in breastfeeding and the effects on bones.  I wondered if breastfeeding pulled extra calcium from the bones, possibly causing an increase in the risk of bone fractures and decreased bone mass.  I didn't recall learning about this in any of my classes so I started to do some research on it.  Bone resorption occurs during lactation to provide the infant with the proper amount of calcium (Akesson et al., 2004).  According to Rea (2004), women lose about 200mg of calcium daily when breastfeeding but it is naturally recovered during the weaning period and after menstruation returns.  
      Karlsson et al. (2001), concluded that breastfeeding mothers had a higher bone mineral density loss than non-breastfeeding mothers during the first 5 months postpartum.  Conversely, there was no additional bone loss in women who breastfed longer than 6 months (Karlsson et al., 2001).  There are concerns about the calcium demands of breastfeeding and the adverse long-term effects on maternal bone health but according to Prentice (2000), these topics are controversial and should not influence the woman's decision to breastfeed.  
      Does your agency address this topic when educating patients? Do you think women should take calcium supplements during lactation?  Do you think breastfeeding has long-term adverse effects on woman's bone health?

 Thank you,
 Lisa Richter, SN
 
Akesson, A., Berglund, M., Bjellerup, P., Bremme, T., Eklof, T., & Vahter, M.(2004). 

      Bone turnover from early pregnancy to postweaning. Acta Obstetricia et 

      Gynecologica  Scandinavica, 83, 1049-1055.

Karlsson, C., Karlsson, M., & Obrant, K.J. (2001). Pregnancy and lactation confer

      reversible bone loss in humans. Osteoporosis International, 12, 828-834.

Prentice, A. (2000). Maternal calcium metabolism and bone mineral status. American 

      Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71, 1312-1316.

Rea, M. F. (2004) Benefits of breastfeeding and women's health. Jornal de Pediatria, 80

     (5), 142-146.

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