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What Causes Delay In Periods In Breast Feeding Mothers?
Question: good morning doctor, my wife delivered a baby boy 5 months ago...she got her first period on 5th april post delivery(after 4 months of delivery). she had not got her next period still. is this normal? does it get time to her cycle to get reguler ?
Brief Answer:
lactational amenorrhoea and oligomenorrhoea
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the query to healthcaremagic.com
One needs to understand that she is at present breast feeding her child and that causes prolactin levels to increase in the body which causes the periods to either stop or get irregular or delayed.
As she has restarted with her menses in April, thats fine but breast feeding mothers would have no menses initially, also called as lactational amenorrhoea. Once the frequency of feeds decrease , the levels of prolactin generally resort to normal and the oestrogen and progesterone levels get balanced again in next 3-4 months. So once breast feeding is stopped it may take another 2-3 months for menses to get regular.
Another important thing one needs to practice is barrier contraception as she has menstruated once which indicates that ovulation has restarted and there may be chances of pregnancy with unprotected intercourse. So please take care about that.
The menses shall regularise in due course of time, but that doesn't mean that she should stop breast feeding anytime before at least 6 months now.
I hope i have answered your query in detail,
Wishing her good health,
Regards
lactational amenorrhoea and oligomenorrhoea
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the query to healthcaremagic.com
One needs to understand that she is at present breast feeding her child and that causes prolactin levels to increase in the body which causes the periods to either stop or get irregular or delayed.
As she has restarted with her menses in April, thats fine but breast feeding mothers would have no menses initially, also called as lactational amenorrhoea. Once the frequency of feeds decrease , the levels of prolactin generally resort to normal and the oestrogen and progesterone levels get balanced again in next 3-4 months. So once breast feeding is stopped it may take another 2-3 months for menses to get regular.
Another important thing one needs to practice is barrier contraception as she has menstruated once which indicates that ovulation has restarted and there may be chances of pregnancy with unprotected intercourse. So please take care about that.
The menses shall regularise in due course of time, but that doesn't mean that she should stop breast feeding anytime before at least 6 months now.
I hope i have answered your query in detail,
Wishing her good health,
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Answered by
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