Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:48:26.120Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Hormones, Mood and Sexuality in Lactating Women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

E. M. Alder ,
A. Cook ,
D. Davidson ,
C. West  and
J. Bancroft
E. M. Alder
Affiliation:
Ward 36, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9YW
A. Cook
Affiliation:
Ward 36, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9YW
D. Davidson
Affiliation:
Ward 36, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9YW
C. West
Affiliation:
Ward 36, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9YW
J. Bancroft*
Affiliation:
MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, Centre for Reproduction Biology, 37 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh EH3 9EW
*
Correspondence
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Of 25 primiparous women, investigated prospectively for six months post-partum, 19 persisted with breast feeding and six changed to artificial during the first six weeks. Sexual activity, mood, and feeding patterns were recorded in weekly diaries. Hormones were measured from weekly urine samples (oestrogen and pregnanediol) and fortnightly blood samples (prolactin, testosterone, androstenedione, and sex hormone binding globulin). In breast-feeding women, testosterone and androstenedione levels were significantly lower in those who reported severe reduction in sexual interest. Changes in sexuality or mood were not related to levels of prolactin or oestrogen, or to the return of follicular activity, which was delayed in persistent breast feeders. The relationships of mood, sexuality, and hormones are discussed.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 148 , Issue 1 , January 1986 , pp. 74 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alder, E. M. & Bancroft, J. (1983) Sexual behaviour of lactating women: a preliminary communication. Journal of Reproductive & Infant Psychology, 1, 47–52.Google Scholar
Alder, E. M. & Cox, J. L. (1983) Breast feeding and post-natal depression. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 27, 39–144.Google Scholar
Anderson, D. C., Lasley, B. L., Fisher, R. A., Shepherd, J. A., Newman, L. & Hendrick, A. G. (1976) Transplacental gradients of sex-hormone-binding globulin in human and simian pregnancy. Clinical Endocrinology, 5, 657–669.Google Scholar
Baird, D. T., Burger, P. E., Heavon-Jones, G. D. & Sharamuzzi, R. J. (1974) The site of secretion of androstenedione in non-pregnant women. Journal of Endocrinology, 63, 201–212.Google Scholar
Bancroft, J. (1983) Human Sexuality and its Problems. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Google Scholar
Bancroft, J. (1984) Hormones and human sexual behaviour. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 10, 3–21.Google Scholar
Bancroft, J., O'Carroll, R., Mcneilly, A. & Shaw, R. (1984) The effect of bromocriptine on the sexual behaviour of 2 hyperprolactinaemic men: A controlled case study. Clinical Endocrinology, 21, 131–137.Google Scholar
Baxter, S. (1974) Labour and orgasm m Primiparae. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 18, 209–216.Google Scholar
Brockington, I. F. & Kumar, R. (1982) (eds.) Motherhood and Mental Illness. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Buvat, J., Asfour, M., Buvat-Herbaut, M. & Fossati, P. (1978) Prolactin and human sexual behaviour In Progress in Prolactin, Physiology and Pathology (eds. Robyn, C. & Harter, M.). Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Corker, C. S. & Davidson, D. W. (1978) a radioimmunoassay for testosterone in various biological fluids without chromatography. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, 9, 373–374.Google Scholar
Cox, J. L., Connor, Y. I. & Kendell, R. E. (1982) Prospective study of the psychiatric disorders of childbirth. British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 111–117.Google Scholar
Falicov, C. J. (1973) Sexual adjustment during first pregnancy and postpartum. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 117, 991–1000.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
George, A. J., Copeland, J. R. M. & Wilson, K. C. M. (1980) Prolactin in the maternity blues. British Journal of Pharmacology, 70, 102–103.Google Scholar
Glasier, A., Mcneilly, A. S. & Howie, P. W. (1983) Fertility after childbirth and changes in serum gonadotrophin levels in bottle and breast feeding women. Clinical Endocrinology, 19, 493–501.Google Scholar
Howie, P. W., Mcneilly, A. S., Houston, M. J., Cook, A. & Boyle, H. (1981) Effect of supplementary food on suckling patterns and ovarian activity during lactation. British Medical Journal, 283, 757–759.Google Scholar
Howie, P. W., Mcneilly, A. S., Houston, M. J., Cook, A. & Boyle, H. (1982) Fertility after childbirth: post partum ovulation and menstruation in bottle and breast feeding mothers. Clinical Endocrinology, 17, 323–332.Google Scholar
Howie, P. W. & Boyle, H. (1982) Effect of breast feeding patterns on human birth intervals. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 65, 545–557.Google Scholar
Kendell, R. E., Wainwright, S., Hailey, A. & Shannon, B. (1976) The influence of childbirth on psychiatric morbidity. Psychological Medicine, 6, 297–302.Google Scholar
Kendell, R. E., Rennie, D., Clarke, J. A. & Dean, C. (1981) The social and obstetric correlates of psychiatric admission in the Puerperium. Psychological Medicine, 11, 341–350.Google Scholar
Kuevi, V., Causon, A., Dixson, A. F., Everard, D. M., Hale, J. M., Hale, D., Whitehead, A., Wilson, C. A. & Wise, J. C. M. (1983) Plasma amine and hormone changes in “post partum blues”. Clinical Endocrinology, 19, 39–46.Google Scholar
Kumar, R. & Robson, K. (1978) Neurotic disturbance during pregnancy and the Puerperium: preliminary report of a prospective study of 119 principarae In Mental Illness in Pregnancy and the Puperperium (ed. Sandler, M.). London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Masters, M. D. & Johnson, V. E (1966) Human Sexual Response. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown.Google Scholar
Mcneilly, A. S. & Hagen, C. (1974) Prolactin TSH, LH and FSH responses to a combined LHRH/TRH test at different stages of the menstrual cycle. Clinical Endocrinology, 3, 427–435.Google Scholar
Metz, M. B., Stump, K., Cowen, P. J., Elliott, J. M., Gelder, M. G. & Grahame-Smith, P. G. (1983) Changes in platelet 2 adrenoceptor binding post partum: possible relation to maternity blues. Lancet, vi, 495–498.Google Scholar
Nott, P. N., Franklin, M., Armitage, C. & Gelder, M. G. (1976) Hormonal changes and mood in the Puerperium. British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 431–433.Google Scholar
O'Carroll, R. & Bancroft, J. (1984) Testosterone therapy for low sexual interest and erectile dysfunction in men: a controlled study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 146–151.Google Scholar
Robson, K. M., Brant, H. A. & Kumar, R. (1981) Maternal sexuality during first pregnancy and after childbirth. British Journal of Obstetrigs & Gynaecology, 88, 882–889.Google Scholar
Sanders, D. J. (1981) Hormones and behaviour during the menstrual cycle. Ph.d. thesis. University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Sanders, D. J. & Bancroft, J. (1982) Hormones and the sexuality of women. The menstrual cycle. Clinics in Endocrinology and Metabolism, vii, 639–659.Google Scholar
Sanders, D. J., Warner, P., Backstrom, T. & Bancroft, J. (1983) Mood, sexuality, hormones and the menstrual cycle. I Changes in mood and physical state; description of subjects and method. Psychosomatic Medicine, 45, 487–501.Google Scholar
Skakkebaek, N. E., Bancroft, J., Davidson, D. W. & Warner, P. (1981) Androgen replacement with oral testosterone undecanoate in hypogonadal men: a double blind controlled study. Clinical Endocrinology, 14, 49–61.Google Scholar
Victor, A., Weiner, E. & Johansson, E. D. B. (1976) Sex-hormone binding globulin: the carrier protein for d-Norgestrel. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 43, 244–247.Google Scholar
Wu, F. C. W., Bancroft, J., Davidson, D. W. & Nicol, K. (1982) The behavioural effects of testosterone undecanoate in adult men with Klinefelter's syndrome: a controlled study. Clinical Endocrinology, 16, 489–497.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.