Serum Levels of Prolactin and Milk Production in Women During a Lactation Period of Thirty Months

Hennart, Philippe; Delogne-Desnoeck, J.; Vis, Henri-Louis; Robyn, Claude

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.1981.tb00619.x

Cited by 37 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Despite this decline, basal prolactin at 6 months postpartum was still higher than the concentration reported for non-lactating women at 6 months postpartum (Gross & Eastman, 1983). Similar decreases in basal prolactin during lactation have been found for women in the USA during the first month of lactation and from 1 to 7 months of lactation (Noel et al 1974;Tyson et al 1975;Battin, Marrs, Fleiss & Mishell, 1985), in Zaire from approximately I to 30 months of lactation (Hennart et al 1981) and in the Philippines from 1 to 20 months of lactation (Gross, Haynes, Eastman, Balderrama-Guzman & del Castillo, 1980). Basal prolactin, at 1 month of lactation, ranged from as low as 15 + 1.4 ug/l (n = 3) (Noel et al 1974) to 119 + 19.1 ,ug/l (n = 24) measured in the present study (Fig.…”

Section: Plasma Prolactin and Milk Synthesissupporting

confidence: 58%

“…In addition, increased suckling frequency is also associated with increased milk production (Hennart, Delogne-Desnoeck, Vis & Robyn, 1981;Rattigan, Ghisalberti & Hartmann, 1981;De Carvalho, Robertson, Friedman & Klaus, 1983) and is recommended to women as a practical means of increasing an inadequate supply of milk (Phillips, 1991). In this connection, drugs which increase prolactin secretion also have been recommended for women with infants who are failing to thrive (Lawrence, 1989).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Blood and milk prolactin and the rate of milk synthesis in women

Cox¹,

Owens²,

Hartmann³

1996

Experimental Physiology

136

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SUMMARYIn women, the concentration of prolactin in the plasma increases in response to nipple stimulation. This response has led to the assumption that prolactin influences the rate of milk synthesis. To investigate this hypothesis we have measured 24 h milk production, the short-term (between breastfeeds) rates of milk synthesis and the concentration of prolactin in the blood and breastmilk, from 1 to 6 months of lactation in eleven women. Over the long term, the 24 h milk production remained constant (means + S.E.M.): 708 + 54-7 g/24 h (n = 11) and 742 + 79-4 g/24 h (n = 9) at 1 and 6 months, respectively. The average short-term rate of milk synthesis (calculated from the increase in breast volume between breastfeeds; means + S.E.M.) did not change: 23 + 3 5 ml/h (n = 23) and 23 + 3 4 ml/h (n = 21) at 1 and 6 months, respectively. However, significant variation in the short-term rate of milk synthesis (from <5-8 to 90 ml/h) was found both between breasts, measured concurrently (coefficient of variation, c.v. = 72 %), and within the same breast, measured over consecutive breastfeeds (c.v. = 85 %). The basal and suckling-stimulated concentrations of prolactin in the plasma (means + S.E.M.) declined from 1 to 6 months (basal, from 119 + 93 to 59 + 29 ,ug/l; peak, from 286 + 109 to 91 + 44 ug/1). In contrast, the concentration of prolactin in milk was much lower than in plasma, and decreased only slightly from 1 to 6 months of lactation (fore-milk, from 26.4 + 10 to 23 3 + 988ug/l; hind-milk, from 18-9 + 5.1 to 13 2 + 6-3 jtg/l). The concentration of prolactin in the milk was related to the degree of fullness of the breast, such that the concentration was highest when the breast was full. We found no relationship between the concentration of prolactin in the plasma and the rate of milk synthesis in either the short or long term. However, the relationship between the concentration of prolactin in milk and the degree of fullness of the breast suggests that the internalization of prolactin, after binding to its receptor, may be restricted when the alveolus is distended with milk.

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Section: Plasma Prolactin and Milk Synthesissupporting

confidence: 58%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood and milk prolactin and the rate of milk synthesis in women

Cox¹,

Owens²,

Hartmann³

1996

Experimental Physiology

136

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Whether the decline in breast volume is due to mobilization of fat from the breast, apoptosis caused by endocrine and local factors, or a combination of these effects, we have found that even when the breast volume had returned to a minimum at 15 months, the combined 24 h milk production from both breasts of the mothers was still between 95 and 315 g. Hennart et al (1981) also found 24 h milk production of between 150 and 300 g from 15-18 months until 27-30 months. This suggests that while proliferation of breast tissue is necessary for sufficient milk production to sustain an infant, the breast does not need to be enlarged above pre-conception size to continue significant milk production.…”

Section: Subject Body Weight and Infant Growthmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…In rats, a deficiency of prolactin and growth hormone causes apoptosis in the mammary gland, which is reversible by prolactin treatment (Travers et al 1996). In women, Hennart et al (1981) found that prolactin concentrations in blood samples collected before breast feeds decreased gradually from 1-3 months to 12-15 months, then dropped sharply at 15-18 months to concentrations not different from non-pregnant non-lactating women. Our data showed that the breast volume returned to pre-conception size on average at 15 months, consistent with apoptosis occurring as a result of decreased blood prolactin concentrations.…”

Section: Subject Body Weight and Infant Growthmentioning

confidence: 94%

Breast Volume and Milk Production During Extended Lactation in Women

Kent

Mitoulas

Cox

et al. 1999

Experimental Physiology

120

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SUMMARY Quantitative measurements were made of relative breast volume and milk production from 1 month of lactation until 3 months after weaning, and the storage capacity of the breasts was calculated. The increase in breast tissue volume from before conception until 1 month of lactation was maintained for the first 6 months of lactation (means ±s.e.m.) (190·3 ± 13·1 ml, number of breasts, nb= 46). During this period of exclusive breast‐feeding, 24 h milk production from each breast remained relatively constant (453·6 ± 20·1 g, nb= 48), and storage capacity was 209·9 ± 11·0 ml (nb= 46). After 6 months, breast volume, milk production and storage capacity all decreased. There was a relationship between 24 h milk production and the storage capacity of the breasts, and these both appeared to be responding to infant demand for milk. At 15 months of lactation, the 24 h milk production of each breast was substantial (208·0 ± 56·7 g, nb= 6), even though the breasts had returned to preconception size. This was associated with an apparent increased efficiency of the breast (milk production per unit breast tissue) after 6 months, which may have been due to redistribution of tissues within the breast. The possible causes of the decrease in breast volume are discussed.

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“…12 Prolactin increases mammary IgA-secreting plasma cells in mice, 13 and the pattern of milk oligosaccharide concentrations (high during early lactation and decreasing over the course of lactation) 14 parallels decreases in prolactin levels that occur over time. [15][16][17] These effects suggest that prolactin may contribute to the progressive changes in milk composition.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Recombinant Human Prolactin on Breast Milk Composition

et al. 2011

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WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT:The direct effects of prolactin on the nutritional and antimicrobial composition of breast milk have not been examined previously in women. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:The study demonstrates that recombinant human prolactin increases milk volume, induces changes in milk composition consistent with those during normal lactogenesis, and increases antimicrobially active oligosaccharide concentrations. The data suggest that prolactin is an important mediator of normal lactogenesis. abstract OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of recombinant human prolactin (r-hPRL) on the nutritional and immunologic composition of breast milk. METHODS:We conducted 2 trials of r-hPRL treatment. In the first study, mothers with documented prolactin deficiency were given r-hPRL every 12 hours in a 28-day, open-label trial. In the second study, mothers with lactation insufficiency that developed while they were pumping breast milk for their preterm infants were given r-hPRL daily in a 7-day, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Breast milk characteristics were compared before and during 7 days of treatment. RESULTS:Among subjects treated with r-hPRL (N ϭ 11), milk volumes (73 Ϯ 36 to 146 Ϯ 54 mL/day; P Ͻ .001) and milk lactose levels (155 Ϯ 15 to 184 Ϯ 8 mmol/L; P ϭ .01) increased, whereas milk sodium levels decreased (12.1 Ϯ 2.0 to 8.3 Ϯ 0.5 mmol/L; P ϭ .02). Milk calcium levels increased in subjects treated with r-hPRL twice daily (2.8 Ϯ 0.6 to 5.0 Ϯ 0.9 mmol/L; P ϭ .03). Total neutral (1.5 Ϯ 0.3 to 2.5 Ϯ 0.4 g/L; P ϭ .04) and acidic (33 Ϯ 4 to 60 Ϯ 6 mg/L; P ϭ .02) oligosaccharide levels increased in r-hPRL-treated subjects, whereas total daily milk immunoglobulin A secretionwas unchanged.CONCLUSIONS: r-hPRL treatment increased milk volume and induced changes in milk composition similar to those that occur during normal lactogenesis. r-hPRL also increased antimicrobially active oligosaccharide concentrations. These effects were achieved for women with both prolactin deficiency and lactation insufficiency.

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Serum Levels of Prolactin and Milk Production in Women During a Lactation Period of Thirty Months

Cited by 37 publications

References 5 publications

Blood and milk prolactin and the rate of milk synthesis in women

Blood and milk prolactin and the rate of milk synthesis in women

Breast Volume and Milk Production During Extended Lactation in Women

Effects of Recombinant Human Prolactin on Breast Milk Composition

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