Here is some interesting research. Lisa Leeners, B., W. Rath, et al. (2005). "Breast-feeding in women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy." J Perinat Med 33(6): 553-560. AIMS: Breast feeding is particularly important and difficult in children born prematurely, especially after hypertensive diseases in pregnancies (HDP). Therefore, we aimed to investigate breast feeding in women who developed HDP. METHODS: Data on breast-feeding was collected within a nationwide research project on psychosocial factors in HDP. A self-administered questionnaire was given to 2600 women with a suspected history of HDP and 1233 controls. After matching and confirming diagnosis according to ISSHP criteria, 877 women with HDP and 623 controls were included into the study. RESULTS: Control women initiated (48.9/39.2%; P<0.001) and continued (42.2/37.2%; P<0.005) breast-feeding significantly more often than women with HDP. This holds particularly for women who developed HELLP syndrome (48.9/34.7%; P<0.0001, 42.2/33.5%; P<0.0001). A delivery before the 32(nd) gestational week (19.5/81.8%; P<0.0001) and a birth weight of less than 1500 g (18.8/75%; P<0.0001) were associated with the decision not to breast-feed. CONCLUSIONS: Women affected by HDP breast fed significantly less often than control women. This effect is at least partly caused by the increased rate of prematurity. Encouraging and supporting these women in breast-feeding is important to improve neonatal physical and mental development. =================================================== Note: placenta is important for mammary development. Majumdar, S., H. Dasgupta, et al. (2005). "A Study of Placenta In Normal and Hypertensive Pregnancies." Journal of the Anatomical Society of India 54(2): 7-12. Abstract : A study of one hundred placentae was done to find out the morbid and histological changes of placentae of hypertensive mothers in comparison to those of mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies. As placenta is the mirror of maternal and foetal status, it reflects the changes due to maternal hypertension. This study was carried out on fifty mothers with uncomplicated pregnancy and fifty mothers with pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). It was found that mothers with moderate to severe PIH had smaller, irregular placentae with marginal insertion of umbilical cord with deviation in respect of foci of calcification, infarction and histological features of vascular insufficiency like thrombosis, infarction etc. Histological findings like cytotrophoblastic cellular proliferation, syncytial knot formation, fibrin plaqueformation etc. were present in greater amount in hypertensive placentae. Babies of such mothers were mostly small for date, few of them had birth asphyxia.The changes in the placentae may be the cause / effect or both of hypertension in pregnancy of mothers who were normotensive. ================================================ Gouldsborough, I., V. Black, et al. (1998). "Maternal nursing behaviour and the delivery of milk to the neonatal spontaneously hypertensive rat." Acta Physiol Scand 162(1): 107-114. Fostering spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) pups to Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) dams permanently lowers their adult blood pressure. SHR dams show increased nursing behaviour and the SHR pup displays an exaggerated pressor response to milk ingestion. We have therefore measured pup feeding rates and dam milk secretion rates in SHR and WKY dams nursing natural and foster litters. Maternal behaviour displayed by SHR and WKY dams nursing natural or foster litters and the milk delivery rate to non-fasted pups were measured over postnatal days 1-21. Total milk yield by SHR and WKY dams at postnatal day 6 was measured by comparing the relative weights of milk filled and empty mammary tissue. Fostering SHR pups to WKY dams significantly lowered their mean arterial blood pressure compared with naturally reared SHR pups. SHR dams nursing their natural litters spent more time nursing and less time away from their litters than WKY dams. This difference in behaviour was reduced when dams nursed pups of the opposite strain. SHR dams delivered less milk compared with WKY dams, regardless of pup strain. Total milk yield by SHR dams was significantly lower than that of WKY dams at postnatal day 6, despite comparable mammary tissue mass, suggesting that milk intake by the SHR pup is limited by milk availability, rather than an attenuated maternal response to pup suckling stimuli. The antihypertensive effect of fostering SHR pups to WKY dams may therefore reflect an increase in milk intake during a critical period of growth and development. ================================================= Can't find my copy right now, but I'm pretty sure this article lists hypertension. When I read "cessation," it sounds mostly to me like a milk production/delivery problem Hall, R. T., A. M. Mercer, et al. (2002). "A breast-feeding assessment score to evaluate the risk for cessation of breast-feeding by 7 to 10 days of age." J Pediatr 141(5): 659-664. OBJECTIVES: To develop a succinct and comprehensive breast-feeding assessment score (BAS) to accurately identify infants at risk for early cessation of breast-feeding before initial hospital discharge. STUDY DESIGN: Mothers who intended to breast-feed their infants were solicited from 9 suburban hospitals. Two detailed data forms covering 107 items were completed before hospital discharge. A third form was completed at 7 to 10 days of age after telephone contact with the mother. RESULTS: Cessation of breast-feeding occurred in 113 of 1075 infants (10.5%). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed 8 variables that were significant (P <.05) in predicting breast feeding cessation. A BAS was developed based on the odds ratios and relative risks of breast-feeding cessation for these 8 variables. CONCLUSIONS: The BAS was easily and quickly performed before hospital discharge for near term and term infants, which accurately predicted the risk of breast-feeding cessation within 7 to 10 days of age in the population studied. =================================== Asselin, B. L. and R. A. Lawrence (1987). "Maternal disease as a consideration in lactation management." Clin Perinatol 14(1): 71-87. Breastfeeding for mothers with chronic medical conditions presents important medical decisions for the primary physician. The issues need to be considered in light of the chronic disease, the physiological process of lactation, and the individual Mother for whom breastfeeding is very important. Management plans need to be based on adequate information and coordinated by the mother's physician and the pediatrician. (article:..... Hypertensive mothers can breast feed their infants, especially if the internist treating her considers the lactation process. Diuretics may diminish milk production, but an active infant who stimulates milk production can counteract this effect. Methyldopa may suppress milk production.) ================================================== Yabes-Almirante, C. and C. Lim (1996). Enhancement of breastfeeding among hypertensive mothers, Excerpta Medica. An investigation was undertaken to determine the effectivenes of malunggay (Moringa oleifera) as galactogogue among hypertensive patients. Methods: A total of 30 hypertensive pregnant patients with blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90, admitted to the Pernatal Center of the Philippine Children's Medical Center from Novemeber 1994 to May 1995, on their 28th to 40th week of gestation, were included in the study. Immediately after delivery, the patients were given capsules whose contents were unknown to both the researchers and the subjects. These capsules were coded at source: 15 placebo and 15 malunggay. Prolactin determinations were done within 6h, 48h after, and 4 mo after delivery. The baby's weights were recorded at birth, at 1 week, at 2 weeks, at 1 month, and 4 months of age. Results: Significantly higher prolactin levels were obtained after 4 mo with the malunggay group at levels of <.05 and <.01 accompanied by observed gaines in weights among these babies. Conclusions: Breastfeeding among hypertensive mothers can be enhanced by intake of malunggay capsules as evidenced by higher prolactin levels and increased breastmilk resuling in appreciable gains in weights of babies. ===================================== Ziyyat, A., A. Legssyer, et al. (1997). "Phytotherapy of hypertension and diabetes in oriental Morocco." J Ethnopharmacol 58(1): 45-54. In order to select the main medicinal plants used in folk medicine to treat arterial hypertension and/or diabetes, a survey was undertaken in different areas of oriental Morocco. The patients (370 women and 256 men) were divided into three groups: diabetics (61%), hypertensives (23%) and hypertensive diabetic persons (16%). On average, 67.51% of patients regularly use medicinal plants. This proportion is perceptibly the same in all groups and does not depend on sex, age and socio-cultural level. This result shows that phytotherapy is widely adopted in northeastern Morocco. For diabetes, 41 plants were cited, of which the most used were Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Leguminosae), Globularia alypum L. (Globulariaceae), Artemisia herba-alba Asso. (Compositae), Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. (Cucurbitaceae) and Tetraclinis articulata Benth. (Cupressaceae). In the hypertension's therapy 18 vegetal species were reported, of which the most used were Allium sativum L. (Liliaceae), Olea europea L. (Oleaceae), Arbutus unedo L. (Ericaceae), Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae) and Petroselinum crispum A.W. Hill (Apiaceae). Among the 18 species used for hypertension, 14 were also employed for diabetes. Moreover, these two diseases were associated in 41% of hypertensives. These findings suggest that hypertension observed in this region would be in a large part related to diabetes. *********************************************** 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