Hi all,
And a big Hi to those who responded on Lactnet and to me privately, as well. 
  Yes, LLL virgina, I remember you!

What is most frustrating to me is that as an LC I ask myself, am I doing 
enough to educate the providers about DEPO and breastfeeding?  I agree 
totally with educating mom beforehand, extremely important!!!!
We keep saying that there is nothing that states the risks about Depo and 
BF.  Well, after my rant on Lactnet yesterday I went to the FDA website, (as 
suggested by another post several years ago by Lisa Jones-check the 
archives) and did a search for depo.  There are several new warnings 
reported, one directly from Pfizer stating that Depo can cause OSTEOPOROSIS, 
but read on, in the patient information and the Physician information 
package.

I was at first stunned by the amount of side effects associated with depo.  
We talk about our moms not hearing from their HCP about the risks to bf, but 
when you look at ALL the possible side effects listed, and realize that 
mothers are not getting information on ANY side effects, it gets even 
scarier.

In the literature, that I am sure many of you will download, read and share, 
it definitivly states that depo should not be administered to EXCLUSIVE bf 
women before 6 wks postpartum. (which makes me wonder, what if mom says she 
is "going to do both" like we hear so often?)

Secondly, in risks reported by 1% or less of the women studied in this 
clinical trial, prevention of lactation, as I think they worded it, IS THERE 
in print!  So guess what?  IT IS in writing and we do have something to 
share with HCP's on this subject.

As one of my peer counselors pointed out when I shared this info with her, 
"what's 1% of a million?".  In other words, 1% may not seem like a lot, but 
overall, it is huge.

I will be making copies of all these documents and sharing it with my moms, 
and the OB's in my health center.  Of course I will continue to give my mom 
info on bc methods that are more compatable with bf.

Honestly, if we don't speak up about this issue and what we are seeing, and 
begin to demand change, who will?

www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2004/nov_PI/Depo-Provera_PI.pdf - 06-27-2006
www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2004/DepoProvera_deardoc.pdf - 06-27-2006

Kim Durdin-James, IBCLC
WHCC WIC

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