Lactation, postpartum amenorrhoea and abstinence after delivery in an urban population of Bombay

Abstract

Breastfeeding and lactational amenorrhoea play a unique role in child health, birth spacing and fertility regulation. The duration of breastfeeding which will determine the period of lactational amenorrhoea and the practice of postpartum abstinence are the main determinants of the return of fertility after delivery [1].

Breastfeeding provides some protection against preanancy. The period of lactational infertility varies greatly among individual women and is determined by many factors including frequency, duration and intensity of suckling, introduction of supplementary feeds and other likely individual, cultural, psychological or sociological factors such as prohibition of coitus during lactation [2]. Prolonged lactation serves as a natural birth spacer but it should be kept in mind that pregnancy may occur in an individual fully lactating woman as early as ten weeks postpartum.