This cycle of events is sometimes modified, as when a woman
becomes pregnant or breastfeeds. When a woman breastfeeds, the
stimulation of the nipple by the infant’s suckling sends
nerve impulses to the mother’s hypothalamus, which responds
by changing the production of the pituitary hormones. As described
earlier, these hormones are needed to stimulate ovulation. Without
this stimulation, the ovaries do not produce a ripe egg or prepare
the uterus for pregnancy. Therefore, there is a time when breastfeeding
women do not ovulate or have menstrual periods. Hence the term,
“lactational amenorrhea” — which is a lack of
menses resulting from breastfeeding. As we will discuss later
in the presentation, the lack of menses is usually a sign of
temporary infertility.
The infant’s suckling is the stimulus that initiates the
state of lactational amenorrhea for breastfeeding women. Women
choosing to use LAM for contraception maintain lactational amenorrhea
and infertility by breastfeeding intensively.
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