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Early postpartum lactation effects of cesarean and vaginal birth
open access
Abstract
Objectives: Breastfeeding has positive effects for both, the mother and the infant. The purpose of the study was to examine how cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery influenced subsequent breastfeeding. The study was conducted at the Kırıkkale University Medical School.
Material and methods: Breastfeeding outcomes after an elective cesarean delivery and after a planned vaginal delivery were compared. The study included 169 consenting mothers who gave birth to healthy infants (86 cesarean deliveries and 83 vaginal deliveries) between March and September 2001. All cesarean deliveries were performed under regional anesthesia.
Results: Elective cesarean delivery was performed at a significantly earlier gestational age as compared to vaginal delivery (p = 0.001). Maternal age in the planned vaginal delivery group was significantly lower (p = 0.003). As for the change in prolactin levels, the results were similar but not statistically significant (p = 0.21). The frequency of breastfeeding per day did not differ significantly between the groups (p = 0.20). However, women after cesarean delivery tended to breastfeed more often than after vaginal delivery (p = 0.003). Mean number of points recorded at the first breastfeeding session, according to the LATCH charting system, was lower in the group after cesarean delivery as compared to vaginal labor. The difference between the average point scores of vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery mothers was found to be meaningful in favor of the women after vaginal delivery (p = 0.05).
Conclusions: Elective cesarean section has negative effects on breastfeeding. Our results indicate that cesarean section constitutes a risk factor for delayed lactogenesis.
Abstract
Objectives: Breastfeeding has positive effects for both, the mother and the infant. The purpose of the study was to examine how cesarean delivery and vaginal delivery influenced subsequent breastfeeding. The study was conducted at the Kırıkkale University Medical School.
Material and methods: Breastfeeding outcomes after an elective cesarean delivery and after a planned vaginal delivery were compared. The study included 169 consenting mothers who gave birth to healthy infants (86 cesarean deliveries and 83 vaginal deliveries) between March and September 2001. All cesarean deliveries were performed under regional anesthesia.
Results: Elective cesarean delivery was performed at a significantly earlier gestational age as compared to vaginal delivery (p = 0.001). Maternal age in the planned vaginal delivery group was significantly lower (p = 0.003). As for the change in prolactin levels, the results were similar but not statistically significant (p = 0.21). The frequency of breastfeeding per day did not differ significantly between the groups (p = 0.20). However, women after cesarean delivery tended to breastfeed more often than after vaginal delivery (p = 0.003). Mean number of points recorded at the first breastfeeding session, according to the LATCH charting system, was lower in the group after cesarean delivery as compared to vaginal labor. The difference between the average point scores of vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery mothers was found to be meaningful in favor of the women after vaginal delivery (p = 0.05).
Conclusions: Elective cesarean section has negative effects on breastfeeding. Our results indicate that cesarean section constitutes a risk factor for delayed lactogenesis.
Keywords
breastfeeding, elective cesarean delivery, planned vaginal delivery, prolactin
About this articleTitle
Early postpartum lactation effects of cesarean and vaginal birth
Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Pages
426-430
Published online
2016-06-30
Page views
4682
Article views/downloads
5295
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Ginekol Pol 2016;87(6):426-430.
Keywords
breastfeeding
elective cesarean delivery
planned vaginal delivery
prolactin
Authors
Yuksel İsik
Zeynep O. Dag
Ozlem B. Tulmac
Eren Pek
