2 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The purpose of this research is to determine whether there are differences in ovarian suppression between women who are feeding at the breast compared with women who are pumping. * In the main study, the aim is to compare reproductive health outcomes, including amenorrhea rates, duration of lactation, and resumption of sexual activity, between mothers who are exclusively breastfeeding (i.e. feeding at the breast) and those who are pumping after a term or preterm delivery. * In the sub-study, the aim is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) detection kits at home to detect ovulation in exclusively breastmilk feeding women.
Obesity in America has risen to epidemic levels over the past 20 years. For women, childbearing itself could be a contributing factor to this high prevalence of excess weight. In addition, for women who breastfeed, lactation is a time of rapid bone loss due to hyperprolactinemia, amenorrhea, and increased bone turnover, especially in the lumbar spine and hip. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, continue to at least 12 months with the introduction of complementary foods and up to 2 years. Breastfeeding helps reduce long term maternal weight retention from pregnancy, the risk of childhood obesity and provides a number of immunological factors to promote the immune system and gastrointestinal system of the neonate. Bone loss due to lactation is usually reversed with weaning; however, not all women recover from this bone loss which increases the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Weight bearing exercise and dairy intake (milk, yogurt, cheese) plus vitamin D supplementation may provide some protection from bone loss. Thus, the objective of this study is to promote long-term lifestyle changes that support healthy lifelong weight management through a community based exercise intervention and daily yogurt consumption program aimed at overweight- to- obese lactating postpartum women.