Session 13 Maternal Health Concerns

SESSION 13MATERNAL HEALTH CONCERN

Breastfeeding Promotion and Support A Training Course for Health Professionals

Adapted from the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative: Revised, Updated and Expanded for Integrated Care (Section 3)

WHO/UNICEF 2009

Session Objectives:

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:1. Discuss the nutritional needs of breastfeeding

women2. Outline how breastfeeding assists in child

spacing3. Discuss breastfeeding management when the

mother is ill4. Review basic information on medication and

breastfeeding

22Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia

2. How Breastfeeding Assists in Child Spacing


What can you tell a mother about how breastfeeding helps to space children?


Breastfeeding and spacing of pregnancy

• BF can delay the return of ovulation and menstruation– Can help to space pregnancies

• The Lactation Amenorrhea method (LAM) helps women who wish to use BF for child spacing

Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia 5Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia

The LAM method is 98% effective in preventing conception IF 3 conditions are met:

1. Mother is not menstruating, and

2. Mother is exclusively BF, (day and night) with no very long intervals between feeds, and

3. Baby is <6 months old.


LAM• If any of these 3 conditions are

not met, it is advisable for the mother to use another method of family planning to achieve pregnancy delay.

• Most family planning methods are compatible with BF with exception of estrogen containing contraceptive pills.


3. Breastfeeding Management When Mother is ill


What can you tell a mother about breastfeeding if she is ill?


Breastfeeding when mother is ill

• Women can continue to BF in nearly all cases when they are ill

• There are many benefits to continuing BF during illness


Benefits of continuing breastfeeding when mother is ill

• Baby may show signs of distress if BF suddenly stops

• May be difficult to return to BF after the mother has recovered

• Stopping BF leaves baby exposed to hazards of artificial feeding

11Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia 11Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia

Benefits of continuing breastfeeding when mother is ill

• BF is less work than preparing formula— Baby can lie beside mother and feed prn without her moving

• Mother and baby can stay together— knows baby is safe, feels happy

• Baby continues to receive benefits of BF


Mothers with chronic illness

• may need extra help to establish breastfeeding—E.g mother with diabetes may experience

complications during delivery

—Can interfere with establishing BF

—With appropriate help, can BF

normally


What kind of help with breastfeeding may be needed if a mother is ill?


Assisting with breastfeeding when mother is ill• Explain the value of continuing to BF• Minimise separation• Give plenty of fluids, esp if she has fever• Assist mother to find comfortable position for

feeding• If too difficult/unwell, help to express and cup

feed baby• Choose treatment and medications that are safe

for BF• Assist mother to re-establish BF after recovery

Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia 15

Are there any situations related to the mother’s health that may require the use of foods other than breastmilk?


Session 13 : Maternal Health Concerns Ministry of Health Malaysia

Use of Artificial Feeds• Very few situations related to maternal

health that require the use of artificial feeds

• Distinguish between:– illness that is contraindication for BF– situation surrounding the

illness that makes BF difficult


Hospitalisation

• Hospitalisation is NOT a contraindication to breastfeed

• Baby should be kept with mother• If mother not able to take care of infant

– Ask family member to stay and help


Maternal Addiction• BF remains the feeding method of choice

for majority of infants– even in tobacco, alcohol and drug use

• For hard-drug users– Decisions on case by case basis

• BF not recommended for IV drug users


Contagious illness

• With common contagious illness (chest infection, sore throat, GI)

– Baby is at risk of being exposed to the infection through contact

– When mother continue to BF, baby receives protection from the infection

• For most maternal infections: (TB, Hep B)– BF not contraindicated


Maternal conditions

Mother who should avoid BF

• HIV infection : For replacement feeding if it is acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable

and safe (AFASS);

• HTLV-I (Human T-cell Leukemia virus)

• On chemotherapy /radiotherapy

Maternal conditions

• Mother who should avoid BF TEMPORARILY

• Severe illness that prevent a mother from caring for her infant, for example sepsis;

• Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1):

Direct contact between lesions on the mother’s breasts and the infant’s mouth should be avoided until all active lesions have resolved;

Maternal conditions

Mother who CAN CONTINUE BF

• Tuberculosis ( Except active , untreated PTB)

• Hepatitis B : Give baby hepatitis B vaccine, within first 48 hours or ASAP

• Hepatitis C;

• Mastitis : If BF is very painful, milk must be removed by expression • Breast abscess: BF should continue on the unaffected breast; feeding from the

affected breast can resume once the abscess has been drained

4. Medications and Breastfeeding


Maternal Medications and BF

1. If a mother requires medication, it is often possible for the doctor to prescribe a drug that may be safely taken during BF.

—Most drugs pass into breastmilk only in small amounts and few affect the baby.

—In most cases, stopping BF may be more dangerous to the baby than the drug.



Maternal Medications and Breastfeeding

2. A medication the mother takes is more likely to affect a premature / baby < 2 months old .

– If there is a concern, it is usually possible to find a drug or treatment that is more compatible with breastfeeding.


Maternal Medications and Breastfeeding3. If a BF mother is taking a drug that you are not sure

about:

Encourage mother to continue BF while you find out more.Watch the baby for side effects

Check the WHO list

Ask Dr/ pharmacist for more information

If baby has side effects and mother’s medication cannot be changed, consider a replacement feeding method, temporarily if possible.




4. Traditional treatments, herbal medicines and other treatments may have effects on the baby. – Try to find out more about them if they are commonly

used in your area. – Meantime encourage the mother to continue BF and

to observe the baby for side effects.



Other substances that can adversely affect breastfed infants• Alcohol

– taken before BF >>> infant sedation and reduced milk intake

• Smoking– Maternal use of nicotine often decrease the

duration of BF, and can adversely affect the infant, but BF is preferable to formula feeding in

smoking mothers.– Infants should not be exposed to tabacco smoke.


Other substances that can adversely affect breastfed infants

• Abuse of amphetamines, cocaine and related stimulants may produce harmful effects on BF babies, especially if the infant is additionally exposed to the drugs by inhalation of smoked drugs


Breastfeeding and Mother’s Medication - SummarySafe in usual dosage:

Most commonly used drugs:

Analgesics and antipyretics: short courses of paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen; occasional doses of morphine and pethidine.

Antibiotics: ampicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin and other penicillins, erythromycin

Antituberculosis drugs( Except streptomycin )Antimalarials (except mefloquine, fansidar), anthelminthics, antifungals.Bronchodilators (e.g. salbutamol), corticosteroids, antihistamines,Antacids, drugs for diabetes, most antihypertensives, digoxinNutritional supplements of iodine, iron and vitamins.

Breastfeeding and Mother’s Medication - Summary

BF contraindicated:• Anticancer drugs (antimetabolites);• Radioactive substances (stop breastfeeding temporarily)

Continue BF:Side-effects possible; monitor baby for drowsiness: psychiatric drugs and anticonvulsants

Use alternative drug if possible: Chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, metronidazole

Monitor baby for jaundice: Sulfonamides, dapsone, sulfamethoxazole+trimethoprim (cotrimoxazole), sulfadoxine+pyrimethamine (fansidar)

Use alternative drug (may decrease milk supply):Estrogens, including estrogen-containing contraceptives, thiazide diuretics, ergometrine


Excessive use of topical iodine (e.g povidone-iodine )

Esp. on open wounds or mucous membrane

Can >>>>> thyroid suppression or electrolyte abnormalities in breastfed newborn

Should be avoided.


Summary

1. Nutritional needs of BF women• All mothers need to eat enough foods so that they will

feel well and be able to care for their families.• Mothers do not need to eat special foods or avoid certain

foods when breastfeeding.• If the food supply is limited, it is better for the health and

nutrition of both mother and baby and less expensive to give the mother food so that she can care for her baby than to give artificial feeds to the baby.


2. How breastfeeding helps to space births

The LAM method is 98% effective if three conditions are met:123



2. How breastfeeding helps to space birthsThe LAM method is 98% effective if three conditions are

met:- The mother is not menstruating,- The mother is exclusively breastfeeding, with no very

long intervals between feeds,- Baby is less than 6 months old.If any of these three conditions are not met it is advisable

for the mother to use another method of family planning.



3. Breastfeeding management when the mother is ill

You can assist BF during maternal illness by:

• Explain the value of continuing to BF during illness,• Minimising separation• Giving plenty of fluids, especially if there is a fever,



Breastfeeding management when the mother is ill

You can assist BF during maternal illness by:

• Assist mother to find comfortable position for feeding,• Assist mother to express, and cup feeding baby if

mother is too unwell ,• Choose medications that are safe for BF,• Assist mother and baby to re-establish BF when the

mother recovers.



4. Medications and breastfeeding

• Use safe medications for mother.• Watch baby for side effects • Babies under ? months of age are more likely to show side

effects.• Know where to get more information or advice on

medications.



THANK YOU


Health & Medicine

Session 13 Maternal Health Concerns