Adolescent exposure to high-dose estrogen and subsequent effects on lactation.

Full Abstract

Treatment with high-dose estrogens has been used to reduce the adult height of tall girls for many years. Short-term side effects on the breast have been reported but there have been no studies to investigate whether there are long-term effects on lactation. This retrospective cohort study of 371 treated and 409 untreated women asked about breastfeeding history. After adjusting for maternal age at first live-birth, treated women (4.4%) were no more likely than untreated women (4.1%) to not commence breastfeeding (RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.50-2.52). After adjusting for age, there was no significant difference in the average duration of breastfeeding between treated (median 41.1 weeks) and untreated women (median 43.3 weeks) (p=0.77) for all live-births. Treated women were not significantly more likely to report physiological reasons for stopping breastfeeding than untreated women. Women treated with high-dose estrogens during adolescence appeared to be no different to untreated women in their ability to lactate.

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Author information

Author/s: Jordan, Helen L (HL); Bruinsma, Fiona J (FJ); Thomson, Russell J (RJ); Amir, Lisa H (LH); Werther, George A (GA); Venn, Alison J (AJ);

Affiliation: Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Australia. h.jordan@unimelb.edu.au

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) (Reprod Toxicol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 Nov-Dec; vol 24 (issue 3-4) : pp 397-402

Dates: Created 2007/11/05; Completed 2008/01/08;

PMID: 17531440, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Body Height - drug effects
Breast Feeding
Diethylstilbestrol - adverse effects
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Estrogens - adverse effects

Ethinyl Estradiol - adverse effects
Female
Growth Disorders - drug therapy
Humans
Lactation - drug effects
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies

Associated Chemicals: Estrogens (0) ; Diethylstilbestrol (56-53-1) ; Ethinyl Estradiol (57-63-6)

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