>I got a call from a family doctor today.  She is seeing a woman, primip,
>who is at 18 weeks gestation.  She has uncomfortable engorgement and is
>leaking enough milk to soak the bed at night.  The doctor did a
>prolactin level which was at 259 or something, I've forgotten.  There
>was no history of amenorrhea, difficulty getting pregnant or anything
>like that.
>
>Anyone ever hear of something like this?  Any ideas?
>
>Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC

Here are a few musings from a non-MD about this.

Wouldn't it be an idea to check other hormone levels? Prolactin is going to
be present (ie normal), but its effects on the breast tissue are normally
inhibited by the placental hormones (progesterone and HPL). Also oestradiol
inhibits milk secretion. I wonder if giving the mother oestrogen would be
helpful - or are there other dangers with doing this? Now I am certainly no
expert on all of this, but someone with more knowledge about hormones in
pregnancy should be able to shed light on what might be going on.

******************************************************************
Joy Anderson B.Sc. Dip.Ed. Grad.Dip.Med.Tech. IBCLC
Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia Breastfeeding Counsellor
Perth, Western Australia.   mailto:[log in to unmask]
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