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Path: utzoo!watmath!deepthot!julian
From: julian@deepthot.UUCP (Julian Davies)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Nursing as a contraceptive
Message-ID: <258@deepthot.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Mar-84 20:41:32 EST
Article-I.D.: deepthot.258
Posted: Mon Mar 26 20:41:32 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Mar-84 00:28:14 EST
References: <32700004@hpfcla.UUCP>
Organization: UWO CS, London Canada
Lines: 15

What the article says is that (1) breast-feeding has some
contraceptive effects, with discussion of evidence and possible
mechanisms;  (2) the effect is very much dependent on the frequency of
nursing, and that in certain cultures where the infants are allowed to
nurse maybe 4 or 5 times AN HOUR day and night, as frequently as they
like, and where nursing continues for several years, then the
contraceptive effect is fairly reliable.  That is, a failure rate of
only a few percent (3 or 4% if I recall correctly) is achieved.
Specifically, these mothers do not normally ovulate effectively before
the first post-birth menstruation, so that the first menstruation
would be a fairly reliable warning to start using other protection.
(3)  this failure rate (which is NOT zero), is as good as or better
than the alternatives in the less affluent countries of the world. So
the world trend away from breast feeding to using bottles is
unfortunate.