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  • Title: Hormonal profiles in lactating and non-lactating women immediately after delivery and their relationship to breast engorgement.
    Author: West CP, McNeilly AS.
    Journal: Br J Obstet Gynaecol; 1979 Jul; 86(7):501-6. PubMed ID: 476015.
    Abstract:
    Prolactin, human placental lactogen (HPL), oestrone, oestradiol and progesterone levels in plasma were measured before and during the first seven days after delivery in women who did not breast feed. The results confirmed the rapid clearance of placental steroids from the circulation after delivery. Plasma prolactin levels remained elevated during the early puerperium and the range of values were the same in non breast-feeding women and a group of breast feeding women. Of the 25 women studied, six developed breast engorgement. No difference in hormonal profiles were found leading to the conclusion that there is no endocrine basis for breast engorgement in non-breast feeding women. In the attempt to determine whether there was any endocrine basis for the differences in degrees of breast engorgement observed in a group of non-lactating puerperal women, prolactin, human placental lactogen (HPL), estrone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in plasma were measured before and during the first seven days in 25 women hospitalized at the Simpson Maternity Memorial Pavilian in Edinburgh, Scotland. The degree of breast engorgement was assessed daily during the 1st week following delivery by the patient and by a single observer, using a simple numerical rating system. The mean age of women in the study was 26 years, and 17 women were parous. The mean and range of plasma levels of the progesterone, estradiol, estrone and HPL in the 6 women with severe breast engorgement at no time fell outside the range of levels found in the non-lactating group as a whole, even when the breast-engorged subjects were excluded. No difference was seen in the levels of these hormones in late pregnancy. Plasma prolactin levels in subjects with breast engorgement lie within the range of plasma levels of prolactin in the non-breastfeeding group as a whole. The mean and range of prolactin levels obtained during the study of the 25 non-lactating mothers was comparable to that of the basal levels of prolactin in a group of 17 breastfeeding mothers. The results show that there is no obvious endocrine basis for the differences in degree of breast engorgement experienced by non-lactating puerpperal women. The results also confirm the results of previous studies showing that levels of estrogen and progesterone decline sharply after delivery, while levels of prolactin decline more gradually during this period.
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