Mothers with Pre-Diabetic Conditions Have Insufficient Breast Milk: Study

New mothers who are prone to diabetes produce breast milk in lesser quantities, according to a study.
Researchers from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center found that risk factors for gestational diabetes are associated with insufficient lactation in mothers.
In the first trial, experts studied 561 women who sought consultation for breast feeding problems at a clinic and it was observed that their insulin metabolism directly impacted milk production. The mothers who were unable to produce enough breast milk had 2.5 times increased chances of being diabetic during pregnancy when compared to women without the breast feeding problems.
Laurie Nommsen Rivers, a researcher at the Cincinnati Children's Perinatal Institute investigated further and discovered that metabolic health after pregnancy in women (with or without gestational diabetes) was one of the key factors that influenced lactation process. Mothers who experienced an upsurge in fasting insulin levels, insulin resistance, increase of BMI and a sudden upshot in fasting plasma glucose in the pre-diabetic range did not have ample breast milk.
"We need to better understand how we can identify mothers at risk for low milk supply and how best to support them in meeting their breastfeeding goals," said Sarah Riddle, study author and pediatrician at the Cincinnati Children's Center for Breastfeeding Medicine in a news release. "We also need to develop targeted therapies to support lactation success in women with a history of glucose intolerance."
The authors believe that many American women in their reproductive age are obese and have elevated chances of being diabetic while carrying a child. This explains why breastfeeding problems and inadequate production of milk are common in new mothers. They urge hospitals and health care officials to educate women about The Ten Steps to Successful Breast Feeding to prevent nutritional deficiency in new born babies and children.
"Research to inform how to support lactation success in this vulnerable group of women is urgently needed," said Dr Nommsen Rivers.
The researchers are reportedly planning to test metformin-a medication that helps control blood sugar levels in patients with type-2 diabetes and help with improving milk production in pre-diabetic mothers.
The findings were presented at the annual meet of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Vancouver, Canada and Experimental Biology in San Diego.