Beyond Breastfeeding: Idiopathic Galactorrhea
Breastfeeding; the best way to feed a baby. It provides all the valuable nutrients that help with growing, offers protection from certain infections and some common childhood illnesses, and increases emotional bonding between mother and child. As valuable as breastfeeding can be, it presents nuisances; such as learning how to deal with the awkward leaks, spraying, and dribbling that can continue long after giving birth and/or breastfeeding has stopped. In women who have been pregnant or had a baby, it is normal to experience leaking of milk from the breast, for weeks, months and even years after giving birth. This “leaking” is termed a “physiological effect” defined …show more content…
(6) Nevertheless, it is considered to be “unusual” to lactate for over three years after having a baby or weaning a child from breastfeeding. (1) The technical term for this phenomenon is galactorrhea; which signifies the excessive or the inappropriate flow of milk. (7) Galactorrhea can be pathological, referring to a condition related to or caused by a disease/illness. On the other hand, galactorrhea can be idiopathic, a term that medical professionals use in place of “I don’t know why”, defined as “any disease or condition of uncertain or unknown origin” (5,7). It is a common misunderstanding that galactorrhea is exclusive to women who have been pregnant, although, women who have never been pregnant are affected; mainly pathological. Even though galactorrhea is more common in women, men and babies can also experience galactorrhea. In men it is always pathological and in babies, galactorrhea is often temporary …show more content…
(11) When the secretion is spontaneous (a common occurrence), it is generally physiological; and is emotionally and/or sexually induced. (1) A study by the Hygeia II Medical Group found, when a woman hears a baby cry or thinks about a baby, it triggers a signal to be sent to the brain that causes a release of oxytocin; a hormone that initiates the discharge of milk. (13,10) In another study, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers at Rutgers University discovered that, both genital stimulation and nipple stimulation emit nerve impulses to the same region of the brain. This explains why some women experience un-manipulated flow of milk during sexual arousal.
Breastfeeding; the best way to feed a baby. It provides all the valuable nutrients that help with growing, offers protection from certain infections and some common childhood illnesses, and increases emotional bonding between mother and child. As valuable as breastfeeding can be, it presents nuisances; such as learning how to deal with the awkward leaks, spraying, and dribbling that can continue long after giving birth and/or breastfeeding has stopped. In women who have been pregnant or had a baby, it is normal to experience leaking of milk from the breast, for weeks, months and even years after giving birth. This “leaking” is termed a “physiological effect” defined …show more content…
(6) Nevertheless, it is considered to be “unusual” to lactate for over three years after having a baby or weaning a child from breastfeeding. (1) The technical term for this phenomenon is galactorrhea; which signifies the excessive or the inappropriate flow of milk. (7) Galactorrhea can be pathological, referring to a condition related to or caused by a disease/illness. On the other hand, galactorrhea can be idiopathic, a term that medical professionals use in place of “I don’t know why”, defined as “any disease or condition of uncertain or unknown origin” (5,7). It is a common misunderstanding that galactorrhea is exclusive to women who have been pregnant, although, women who have never been pregnant are affected; mainly pathological. Even though galactorrhea is more common in women, men and babies can also experience galactorrhea. In men it is always pathological and in babies, galactorrhea is often temporary …show more content…
(11) When the secretion is spontaneous (a common occurrence), it is generally physiological; and is emotionally and/or sexually induced. (1) A study by the Hygeia II Medical Group found, when a woman hears a baby cry or thinks about a baby, it triggers a signal to be sent to the brain that causes a release of oxytocin; a hormone that initiates the discharge of milk. (13,10) In another study, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers at Rutgers University discovered that, both genital stimulation and nipple stimulation emit nerve impulses to the same region of the brain. This explains why some women experience un-manipulated flow of milk during sexual arousal.