Hi Sue;
Re: K has twelve frozen embryos in her freezer, and is hoping that
> two can be implanted, but her obstetrician has told her that she must wean
> her daughter before the procedure can be carried out. She has been given
> two reasons for this: firstly, that the oxytocin released during let-down
> could cause potentially harmful contractions in the critical implantation
> stage, and secondly, that continuing to breastfeed will reduce the length
> of the luteal phase of her cycle, thus reducing the chances of the embryos
> implanting successfully.
> Sincerely, Sue Lunn ABM BFC, UK
There is quite a bit of relevant information in LLL's Breastfeeding Answer
Book (BAB), and two books which might be helpful are listed on their website
(see below). I can speak on my personal experience - an internal exam found
a lump on one ovary 8 years ago. The OB/GYN was freaked and after 3 monthly
ultrasounds showing no change decided to cut me open to check it out. I
found another OB and after 3 months on the pill and another ultrasound he
decided the lump was a follicle which had started, then when my
erratically-nursing 2 year old increased her nursing the hormone change
halted development and the follicle 'froze' at that stage (he also said that
80% of the women he sees in LA, Calif have had what he saw as unnecessary
surgery recommended). Here is a case where nursing certainly did affect my
fertility in a very dramatic way (and I still have the lump).
The BAB discusses the fact that, "In some cases, even infrequent
breastfeeding is enough to prevent pregnancy (p. 359). It also quotes a
case study where a mother showed signs of ovulating but was unable to
conceive until she weaned her nursling (p. 359). Two books on fertility
available through LLLI are listed below . The BAB also mentions that even if
a mother is ovulating while breastfeeding, hormone levels may not be
sufficient to maintain a pregnancy (p. 356). Research is ongoing as to the
exact mechanism of how breastfeeding affects fertility.
As far as I know prolactin levels do vary with the intensity and frequency
of the nursling's suckling. However, it is difficult to determine the exact
effect of prolactin on fertility since women's sensitivity and therefore
response to hormonal influences varies. In your own experience you can
probably find several mothers with very similar breastfeeding patterns (and
therefore similar prolactin levels) who had menstruation return at very
different ages of their babies.
Weschler, Toni; TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY. HarperCollins, 1995
Winstein, Merryl; YOUR FERTILITY SIGNALS. Smooth Stone Press, 1990
Michelle Bentley BEd, LLL, CLE
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