Transcript Chapter 11 ss Conception

Chapter 11
Conceiving Children:
Process and Choice
Discussion question
Do you want to have children?
List the top three or four
reasons for your choice.
Parenthood as an Option
• More people than in the past are choosing to
be “kid-free.”
– In 2004, 19.3% of women age 40-44 were
childless (compared with 9% in 1975)
• Advantages of remaining childless
– more time for self and companion
– more financial resources
– marriages less stressful
– more spontaneity
– more devotion to career
Parenthood as an Option (cont.)
• Advantages to having children
– children give & receive love
– may enhance relationship
– builds self-esteem, sense of accomplishment
– greater meaning & satisfaction
Becoming Pregnant
• Enhancing the possibility
– intercourse just prior to or at ovulation
– predicting ovulation
• mucus, calendar, BT methods
• ovulation-predictor urine tests--measure the rise in
luteinizing hormone (LH) that occurs before ovulation
(available OC).
• Children conceived during the months of April and
May have a high %age of abnormal genomes.
Probable due to pesticides or fertilizers.
Infertility
• Defined as inability to conceive after trying for 1 yr
– Occurs in approx. 10-15% of U.S. couples trying to conceive
– More than 6 months of trying --> consider consulting a health care
practitioner
• 60% of couples become pregnant after trying for 6 mos.
• Can be due to male or female factors; both partners
should be medically evaluated
• Causes
– Can be complex; often difficult to determine
– Remain unidentified in as many as 15% of cases
• Can be extremely emotionally painful for couples and pose
challenges for their sexual happiness
• Secondary infertility: inability to conceive a second child
– Occurs in 10% of couples
Female infertility
• Problems with ovulation
–
–
–
–
–
Hormone imbalances, severe vitamin deficiencies, poor nutrition
Emotional stress
Below-normal % body fat
Smoking, substance abuse
Can be treated w/medications that stimulate ovulation--can
increase chance of multiple births
• Damage to fallopian tubes
– Previous infection
– Endometriosis
– Can sometimes be treated by surgery to remove scar tissue
• Cervical mucus abnormalities
– Presence of antibodies that attack sperm
– Can form a plug that blocks passage of sperm
– Can be treated by intrauterine injection of sperm
Male infertility
• Contributes to 50% of cases; sole cause in 30% of cases
• Problems w/sperm number
• Abnormal sperm (poor motility, short lifespan)
• Causes:
–
–
–
–
Inflammation in or abnormal development of testicles
Swollen vein in testis or vas deferens (varicocele)
Infectious diseases (mumps, STIs)
Smoking, alcohol & drug use
• Cocaine use decreases spermatogenesis
• Marijuana use slows sperm motility
– Hormone disorder
– Exposure to environmental toxins (chemicals, radiation)
• Treatments: decrease frequency of ejaculation ( conc’n.
of sperm), no hot baths, no tight shorts or long bike rides
Reproductive Alternatives
& Technologies
• Artificial insemination
– Semen is mechanically placed in a woman’s vagina,
cervis, or uterus (at home, or in a doctor’s office)
– Donor semen can be used if woman does not have a
male partner or partner’s sperm are inviable
• Intrauterine insemination
– Sperm is injected directly into uterus (helpful if female
cervical mucus is a cause of infertility)
• Surrogate mother
– Woman who is impregnated (via artificial insemination or
IVF) by an infertile or childless couple; carries baby to
term and gives it to the couple for adoption
Reproductive Alternatives
& Technologies (cont.)
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
– Mature eggs are harvested from woman’s ovary
– Eggs are fertilized by sperm in a laboratory
– Embryos are introduced into woman’s uterus
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
– When a single sperm is injected into an egg
– May be a part of in vitro
fertilization if semen is of
poor quality or quantity
In vitro fertilization
 Ovaries are stimulated with hormones
to produce multiple ova
 mature eggs are harvested
from ovary and fertilized in a
laboratory dish by partner’s
or donor’s sperm
 fertilized eggs are
allowed to divide to 2to 8-cell stage
 Embryos are
introduced into
woman’s uterus
• 1st “test tube baby” born in England in 1978
• In U.S., ~48,000 babies born each year from IVF
• Success rate: almost 30%
Financial and health costs of
reproductive technologies
• Financial costs
–
–
–
–
One IVF procedure: $12,000 - $14,000,
Intrauterine injection (IUI): $500-$700
Multiple attempts are often needed
If donor eggs, sperm, or ICSI are
needed, adds to cost
• Health costs
– Multiple embryo pregnancies
are riskier
• For mothers: C-sections, high b.p.,
greater complications during birth
• For babies: miscarriage, prematurity,
low birth weight, birth defects
Pregnancy detection
• First signs: light period, spotting, or no period
– Implantation bleeding (6-12 days post-conception)
• Tender breasts
• Fatigue
• nausea/vomiting; appetite change
– “morning sickness” typically begins 2-8 weeks post-conception
and lasts around 6-8 weeks
– Some women feel none; some feel sick their whole pregnancy
• blood or urine tests for human chorionic gonadotropin
(HCG), secreted by placenta
– Most sensitive blood tests can detect 7 days post-conception
• Headaches, backaches
• Food cravings, enhanced odor sensitivity
Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
• Definition: spontaneous expulsion of fetus from the uterus
in 1st 20 weeks of pregnancy
• Frequency
– 10-25% of all known pregnancies
– Estimated 50-75% of unknown pregnancies (miscarriage isn’t felt
b/c it occurs before the woman gets her period)
• Causes
– Rejection of abnormal fetus, implantation problem
– Hormonal problem, infection, or other health problem/trauma
– Smoking, substance abuse
• Timing: usually occur before 13 weeks (in 1st trimester)
• Symptoms: heavier-than-usual menstrual flow (early miscarriage)
to cramping, contractions, heavy bleeding (later miscarriage)
• Rarely means that a later pregnancy will be unsuccessful
– Can be emotionally traumatic; couple may need to grieve
Elective abortion
• Decision to terminate a pregnancy by medical
procedures
• In U.S., 3 million unplanned pregnancies/yr.
– 48% of women w/unintended pregnancies were using
contraception during the month they became pregnant (though
often not correctly each time)
– Of these, 1.3 million pregnancies result in abortion
– 43% of women in U.S. will have had an abortion by age 45
• Socioeconomic factors
– Unintended pregnancy has increased by 29% among poor
women while decreasing 20% among higher-income women.
– Low-income women are >4x as likely to have an unplanned
pregnancy, due to cuts in government-funded contraceptive
services
When abortions are performed
~10% are performed after 1st trimester
~1% after 20 weeks
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Strauss, Lilo T., Herndon, Joy, Chang, Jeani, Parker, Wilda Y., Bowens, Sonya V., Berg, Cynthia J.
2005. Abortion Surveillance United States, 2002. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Abortion procedures
• Medical abortion (RU486):
– up to 7 weeks of pregnancy
–  Woman takes mifepristone
(RU486)
–  RU486 works by blocking
progesterone, causing cervix
to soften, uterine lining to
break down, and bleeding to begin
–  A few days later, second drug is taken that causes uterus
to contract to expel any remaining fetal tissue
– available in Europe since 1980; in U.S. since 2000
Abortion procedures (cont.)
• Suction curettage: 7-13 weeks
– Under local anesthetic, cervical os
is dilated slightly, and a small
vacuum tube is inserted to
draw out fetal tissue, placenta,
and uterine lining
• Dilation and extraction: 13-21 weeks
– Requires general anesthetic
– Uses suction, forceps, and curette (metal instrument used
to scrape the walls of the uterus)
• Intact dilation and evacuation, or late-term abortion:
after 20 weeks, before viability at 24 weeks
– Cervix is dilated, fetus emerges feet-first, fetal skull is
collapsed to permit passage of the head through cervix and
vagina
Abortion Rates Among Women
Aged 15–44
Abortions per 1,000 women
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
• Decline due mainly to increased use of long-acting hormonal contraceptn.,
decreased pregnancy rates among teenagers, and increased use of
emergency contraception.
Source: Finer and Henshaw, 2005
Contraceptive Risk-taking and Abortion
• Over half of women who had an abortion were
using contraception when they became pregnant
• Other unintended pregnancies are often the result
of contraceptive risk-taking--not using a
contraceptive consistently or reliably
• What contributes to contraceptive risk-taking?
– Being under influence of alcohol or drugs
– Feeling guilty about sex
– Women who lack strong self-esteem often fear alienating
a partner by asking for his cooperation w/birth control
– Women who have experienced abuse are twice as likely
to have an unintended pregnancy
Abortion rates in developed world:
factors
• U.S. has one of the highest abortion rates in
the developed world
• Factors commonly found in countries w/lower
rates of abortion
– Comprehensive sex education in schools
– Easy access to inexpensive or free birth control
and emergency contraception
– Social and health services to women and
children
Correlation between abortion rate &
access to contraception
• EX: Soviet Union
– Trade opens
w/Western world in
1988, and modern
contraceptives
arrive in Soviet
Union
– 1992: Russian
government began
subsidizing family
planning services
and distributing free
contraceptives
Abortion legality and rates
Source: Guttmacher Institute (www.guttmacher.org)
Illegal abortion
• 25% of women worldwide live in countries where
abortion is illegal
• Illegal abortion procedures are extremely unsafe
– Some women try to self-induce abortions by using
enemas, laxatives, pills, herbs, and other substances
– Illegal abortionists usually insert a catheter or sharp
instrument into the uterus to induce contractions.
– Account for 150,000-200,000 maternal deaths/yr.
– In Latin America, where legal abortion is restricted to
rape or endangerment of woman’s life, almost half of
maternal deaths are due to illegal abortion (WHO)
– Globally, illegal abortions account for 21% of all maternal
deaths
Long-Term Safety of Abortion
• First trimester abortions pose virtually no future risk
of:
–
–
–
–
–
Infertility
Ectopic pregnancy
Miscarriage
Birth defect
Preterm or low-birth-weight delivery
• There is no association between abortion and
breast cancer.
• Abortion does not pose a hazard to women’s
mental health.
– Research studies continue to find that abortion is no
more likely to cause mental health problems than is
continuing an unwanted pregnancy.
Source: Boonstra, 2006
U.S. Abortion controversy & legal history
• Early American law, based on English common law, allowed
abortion until quickening (btwn 18-24 weeks)
• 1860s: abortion made illegal except to save woman’s life
• 1860-1970s:
– Rich women traveled to country where abortion was legal or paid a
U.S. physician to perform an illegal abortion
– Women w/o money may have found access to underground skilled
abortion providers who worked for free or very little
– Otherwise: “back alley” abortions using unsafe procedures, or
dangerous self-induced abortions (wire coat hanger, douching
w/bleach, swallowing turpentine)
• 1973: Roe v. Wade legalized right to abortion before viability
(~24 weeks)
• 1977: Hyde Amendment: restricted federal Medicaid funds for
abortions
U.S. Abortion controversy & legal history
more recent issues
• Gag rule:
– Banned federal funds for family planning clinics that inform
women about abortion as part of counseling
– Reversed by Clinton administration
• Global gag rule:
– Cut off aid to international health programs involved in any
abortion-related activities, including info & referral
– Establised by Reagan in ‘84, reversed by Clinton,
reinstated by GW Bush in ‘01
• Access to family planning & abortion clinics
– Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (1994): prohibits
use/threat of or physical obstruction to prevent access to
reproductive health care services
Abortion controversy in U.S.
• 55-65% of Americans believe women should have
access to legal abortion
• Public opinion about Roe v. Wade:
– 63% want it to remain in place
– 23% want it overturned
• Anti-abortion/pro-life groups believe that life begins
at conception
• Pro-choice groups see abortion as a necessary
last resort
• Many people who believe abortion is wrong also
believe that women should still have access to
safe, legal abortion (“abortion should be safe,
legal, and rare”)
Abortion in the U.S.: current restrictions
• Bush administration has supported implementing restrictions
on abortion at the state level
• Current restrictions as of 2006:
– 32 states require mandatory counseling session
– 24 states also require 24-hr waiting period btwn
counseling session and abortion
– 4 states restrict private insurance from covering abortion
unless woman buys additional policy for that purpose
– 21 states unnecessarily require abortion to be performed
in a hospital instead of a clinic after a certain number of
weeks of pregnancy (and in some of these states, only
clinics perform abortions, not hospitals)
– 34 states have parental consent laws that require a minor
to obtain one or both parents’ consent before she can have
an abortion
Discussion question:
States with the most restrictions on abortion:
- typically provide the fewest resources for
mothers and children
- often mandate that abstinence be stressed
in sex education curricula
Why do you think this is the case?
Pregnancy
the pregnant woman’s experience
• Wide range of positive and negative emotions
– Women often feel “guilty” about experiencing
any negative feelings
• Emotions are affected by physical changes
– First trimester: increased fatigue, nausea, and
breast changes
– Second trimester: movement felt; heightened
sense of well-being
– Third trimester: increased size; greater discomfort
• Emotions are influenced by life factors
–
–
–
–
–
How decision for pregnancy was made
Current/impending lifestyle changes, career, etc.
Relationship issues
Financial resources
Hopes and fears about parenthood
At 9 mos.
Pregnancy: the partner’s experience
• Also may have a wide range of positive and negative
emotions
– May feel ecstatic
– May feel fearful about future mom’s and baby’s well-being
– May feel nervous about impending birth and his/her ability to
“keep it together”
– Common to feel some concern over impending increase in
financial responsibility
– Possible feelings of separation from partner, from experience
of pregnancy
• May experience some psychosympathetic symptoms,
such as nausea, fatigue
Sexual activity during pregnancy
• Sexual activity and orgasm are safe throughout
pregnancy until labor begins, unless there are risk
factors
• Pregnant woman’s sexual interest may change
during pregnancy
– Some women experience increase in desire
– Some women experience changes in lubrication, ability
to reach orgasm
– Nausea and physical discomfort may negatively impact
a woman’s desire--especially in 1st & 3rd trimesters
• Modified sexual positions are often needed
– Side-by-side, woman-on-top, sitting, rear-entry are all
good options
Fetal Development
•
•
•
•
40 week gestation, measured from LMP
Divided into 3 trimesters each 13 weeks.
Immediately after fertilization:
Zygote: single cell resulting from union of
sperm & egg cells
• Blastocyst: multicellular
ball of cells that implants
on uterine wall 1-2 weeks
after fertilization
First trimester development
• Zygote  blastocyst  implantation on uterine wall 1-2 weeks
after fertilization
• 9-10 weeks after LMP: can detect heartbeat
• 8 weeks: spinal canal, beginning of arms/legs, eye buds,
fingers/toes,
• 3rd month: internal organs begin to form (heart w/4 chambers,
kidneys, etc.)
~2.5 in.
1 mo.
2 mo.
3 mo.
Second trimester development
• 4th month: sex can be distinguished, external body parts are
clearly formed (eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.)
• Fetal movements can be felt by mother by end of 4th month
• Period of growth, organ maturation, fat deposition, muscle
development, bones begin to become solid
• By end of second trimester, fetus can open its eyes
4 mo.
5 mo.
6 mo.
Third trimester development
• Fetus continues to grow
• Hearing, ability to sense changes in light develop in 7th mo.;
brain & nervous system become more functional in 8th mo.
• Increases in weight from ~4lbs to average of 7 lbs. at birth
• Skin changes from wrinkled to smooth
• At birth, fetus is covered w/a protective creamy, waxy
substance called the vernix caseosa
7 mo.
8 mo.
9 mo.
Prenatal care
• Before pregnancy:
– HIV test, German measles (rubella) immunity
• During pregnancy:
– Good nutrition, adequate rest, routine check-ups, exercise,
childbirth education
• Risks of poor prenatal care:
– Low birth weight, lung disorders, brain damage, abnormal
growth patterns
– Lifelong effects
– Increased chance of maternal complications
• In U.S., 4x as many African American women as white women die
from childbirth complications due to poor access to prenatal care
• Risk of dying from pregnancy/childbirth in N. America: 1 in 3,700
(0.02%)
• Risk of dying from pregnancy/childbirth in Asia: 1 in 65 (1.5%)
• Risk of dying from pregnancy/childbirth in Africa: 1 in 6 (16.7%)
Risks to fetal development
• Fetus depends on mother for nutrients, oxygen, and waste
elimination--substances pass through the placenta:
– Disk-shaped organ attached to the uterine wall and connected to fetus by
the umbilical cord; substances pass btwn mother and fetus through the
placental cell walls
• Placenta prevents some, but not all, bacteria and viruses from
passing into fetus circulatory system--many, include HIV, can cross
• Nicotine, prescription & nonprescription drugs, alcohol
– Alcohol can cause birth defects.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS): syndrome in infants caused by heavy
maternal prenatal alcohol use; characterized by heart defects, brain damage,
physical malformations, and below-normal IQ
• Babies can be born addicted to alcohol/drugs
• Toxic chemicals and pollutants in the environment
– Nicotine/smoking reduces oxygen, increases the chance of miscarriage
& pregnancy complications
Close-up
view of
placenta
(Fig. 11.7)
• Fetal blood circulates
independently within
closed system of the fetus and
inner part of placenta
• Maternal blood flows in uterine walls and through outer
part of placenta
• Fetal and maternal blood does not intermingle, but some
substances (nutrients, waste products, drugs, microbes, can
pass through walls of blood vessels)
Ultrasound imaging
• First trimester:
ultrasound & blood
tests are typically
performed at 12 wks
• 20 weeks (halfway):
2nd ultrasound to
examine organ
development; can
identify sex if parents
want to know
Nuchal fold translucency measurement
During 12-week ultrasound
Pregnancy after 35
• Most healthy women from age 35 into their 40s have
healthy pregnancies--if problems do arise, they can
usually be successfully treated.
– Quite common now--20% of all childbearing women in U.S.
• Women over age 35 have an increased risk of:
– Fertility problems
– Multiple pregnancy (twins or more)
– Fetus w/abnormal chromosome # (often results in miscarriage-see slide on abnormal chromosome #)
– Premature delivery
– Cesarean section delivery
– Placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta is in the
wrong place and covers the cervix
– Chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure or diabetes that
are important factors during pregnancy
Amniocentesis vs. CVS
Fetal cells taken from
amniotic fluid
Fetal cells taken
from placenta
Amniocentesis
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Needle inserted
through abdomen to
extract amniotic fluid
Ultrasound
monitor
Fetus
Ultrasound
monitor
Suction tube inserted
through cervix to extract
chorionic villus tissue
from the placenta
Fetus
Placenta
Placenta
Uterus
Chorionic
villi
Cervix
Cervix
Uterus
Amniotic
fluid
Centrifugation
Fetal
cells
Fetal
cells
Usually done at 14-16 wks.
Cells must be cultured for
several weeks before tests
can be done.
Biochemical
tests
Several
hours
Several
weeks
Karyotyping
Can be done at 8-12 wks.
Can perform tests on
cells immediately.
• In most cases, abnormal
chromosome number in a
human embryo will result in
miscarriage.
• A few examples of abnormal
chromosome number produce
viable births; some of these
babies have other symptoms,
some don’t.
– Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome
– Abnormal # of sex chromosomes
• XXY, XYY, XXX, XO
5,000
Abnormal chromosome
number in humans
An extra copy of chromosome 21 causes
Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
• Trisomy 21 is the most common chromosome #
abnormality (~1 in 700).
• Symptoms:
–
–
–
–
characteristic facial features.
short stature.
heart defects.
susceptibility to respiratory
infections, leukemia, and
Alzheimer’s disease.
– Reduced life span.
– Varying degrees of mental retardation.
The chance of having a child with Down
syndrome increases with maternal age
• Why is this?
90
Infants with Down syndrome
(per 1,000 births)
– Due to a peculiarity of
meiosis (the cell division
that forms gametes such
as eggs and sperm) in
female mammals.
– In the female ovary, egg
cells are arrested in the
middle of the cell division
process until time of
ovulation (could be
decades later!).
– The longer the cells are
arrested in this state, the
greater the chance of an
error in distribution of
chromosomes to each
egg cell.
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
20
25
35
40
30
Age of mother
45
50
Figure 8.20C
Contemporary childbirth
• Parents-to-be work as a team
• Childbirth education classes
provide information about
what to expect in labor and
birth, breathing/relaxation
techniques, and possible
medical interventions
• Women assisted by a birth
attendant during labor had
fewer C-sections, less pain medication, shorter labor,
and greater satisfaction w/birth experience
• Birthplace options: home, birthing center, hospital
w/midwife or w/ob-gyn
Labor
• Walking during labor can help
progression of labor
• Positions:
– Lying on back is the worst
• Birthing balls, warm bath,
massage can help
• Episiotomy:
– surgical incision in the perineum
to enlarge the vagina during birth
– Previously thought to be easier to
sew up than a “natural tear”
– Now shown to be associated w/greater tearing
– Medically unnecessary, cause more harm than good.
First-stage labor
• Longest of the 3 stages
– Avg: 10-16 hr for 1st birth;
– 4-8 hr in subsequent births
• Effacement (thinning and flattening)
of the cervix is completed (latent)
• Regular contractions begin
• Cervix dilates to 10 cm
– early labor (latent) (up to 4 cm)
– active labor (4-8 cm)
– transition (8-10 cm)
• Amniotic sac often ruptures
(“breaking bag of waters”)
Second-stage labor
• Passage of the baby
through the vagina
Usually the highlight of
the birth process!
• Begins when cervix is
fully dilated and infant
descends farther into
vaginal birth canal
– Usually head-first,
though not always
• Woman actively pushes baby out
• Second stage ends when baby is born
--
Second-stage labor: photos
Third-stage labor
• Delivery of the
placenta (sometimes
called the “afterbirth”)
• Placenta separates
from uterine wall
and comes out of
the vagina
– Usually occurs w/one or two
more uterine contractions
– Often within half an hour of birth
Delivery by Cesarean section
(“C-section”)
• Baby is removed through an incision made in the
abdominal wall and uterus
• Can be a lifesaving surgery for mother and child
• Recommended when there are indications of fetal
distress during labor or when there are complications,
such as breech presentation (feet or bottom first)
• Rate of C-sections in the U.S. has increased from 5.5%
in 1970 to ~30% in 2004
– Analysis of birth data found that 11% of C-sections for a first
pregnancy and 65% of repeat C-sections may not have been
necessary
– Increase is thought to be due to intensive fetal monitoring,
aggressive malpractice lawsuits, and physician or maternal
preference
After childbirth
• Postpartum period = first several weeks after birth
– Time of intensified emotion, physical and psychological
adjustment
– Partners may feel increased closeness, non-mom partner
may feel jealous of close relationship btwn mom & child
– Time and energy demands of a new infant can contribute to
stress
• Postpartum depression (PPD)
– More serious than “baby blues” (tearfulness and mood
swings that last a couple of weeks in 75% of new moms)
– Classic symptoms of clinical depression, such as insomnia,
anxiety, panic attacks, hopelessness
– Women may lose interest in or develop obsessive thoughts
about harming themselves or their babies
Sexual activity after childbirth
• Intercourse can safely be resumed after approx. 46 weeks (sometimes longer if there were
complications during birth)
– Lochia (reddish uterine discharge) should have stopped
– Vaginal tears (or episiotomy) need to heal
– For C-section, incision needs to heal
• Estrogen levels are reduced by nursing (especially
in beginning)--can reduce vaginal lubrication,
sometimes desire
• Fatigue is a major factor affecting sexuality after
birth
Breastfeeding
• Colostrum: produced before
milk comes in
– Thin yellowish fluid
– Contains antibodies and protein
• Milk production occurs b/c
pituitary secretes hormones
in response to nipple stimulation by infant sucking
– If new mother doesn’t begin or continue to nurse, milk production stops
in a matter of days
• Medical recommendations: (AAP, WHO): Exclusive b.-f. for
first 6 months, continued b.-f. w/other food for at least 1 yr.
– Survey in U.S.:only 47% of 1-week-old infants had been exclusively
breast-fed, and that only 10% of 6-month-old infants were breast-fed.
• May be related to women going back to work--of all industrialized
countries, only U.S. and Australia lack laws that require paid parental leave
w/a guaranteed return to work.
Benefits of breastfeeding
• Benefits to baby:
– Antibodies are passed from mother to baby to protect from illness
– Breast-fed babies have lower rates of asthma and allergies
– Breast milk is ultimate complete nutrition for baby, changes composition
as baby grows
• Breast-fed babies have been shown to be leaner as older children and have
reduced rates of obesity in adulthood
–
–
–
–
Many babies have easier time digesting breast milk than formula
Promotes good jaw development and healthy, straight teeth
Associated w/ decreased risk of SIDS (sudden Inf. death syndrome)
Neurological and cognitive benefits
• Breast-fed babies score higher on IQ tests at age 8
• Benefits to mom:
–
–
–
–
–
Burns lots of calories and fat, helps mom lose pregnancy weight
Lowers risk of breast, ovarian, uterine, and endometrial cancers
Lowers risk of osteoporosis
Practicality: saves money, always have food with you
Increased feelings of bonding with baby
Discussion question:
Women are often made to feel uncomfortable
about nursing their babies in public places, and
sometimes are even asked to “cover up” or to
nurse elsewhere.
Read the articles about the ‘nursing at
Starbucks’ story.
Why do you think some people feel that women
should not nurse their babies in public? How do
such attitudes affect rates of breastfeeding in
the U.S.?