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Contraception - Management
What are the advantages, disadvantages, and risks of the lactational amenorrhoea method?
- Advantages:
- Lactational amenorrhoea is effective for at least 6 months:
- As commonly used, 4 in 200 women would be expected to become pregnant in the first 6 months after childbirth.
- When used correctly and consistently, 1 in 200 women would be expected to become pregnant in the first 6 months after childbirth.
- It encourages the best breastfeeding patterns.
- It can be used immediately after childbirth.
- There is no need to do anything at the time of sexual intercourse.
- There is no direct cost, as it requires no supplies or procedures.
- It has no hormonal adverse effects.
- Counselling for the method encourages starting a follow-on method at the proper time.
- It does not involve abstinence.
- Disadvantages:
- It becomes unreliable after 6 months and when other foods (including infant milk formula) are introduced into the baby's diet.
- Frequent breastfeeding is inconvenient or difficult for some women, especially working mothers.
- It provides no protection against sexually transmitted infections.
- Risks:
- The lactational amenorrhoea method in itself carries no risks to users or their babies.
- However, if the mother has HIV, there is a small risk that HIV will be passed to the baby.
[Hatcher et al, 1997b]
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