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Last Updated:
Aug 24th, 2010 - 13:44:17
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Question
I am 4 weeks pregnant with my third pregnancy and still nursing my 9 month old pretty frequently. I am 30. I nursed during my second pregnancy for the first four months, but only 2x a day. My son was much older 19 months. I am concerned that since my son is nursing more frequently, that it might be safer to wean than to continue nursing. I am noticing that my temps are not as high as maybe they should be and could that be a sign of low progesterone, which could place this pregnancy at risk? I was hoping to continue nursing my son, but I also want to protect the unborn baby.
Thank you,
Sara
Answer
Dear Sara,
There is not much research on nursing and pregnancy loss and no agreement among physicians about the impact of nursing on pregnancy. However, it does seem that some women are able to nurse another baby while pregnant safely and successfully, whereas with others hormonal levels may be compromised, resulting in miscarriage.
Your low temperatures might be indicative of low progesterone levels. Dr.Thomas Hilgers of Pope Paul VI Institute has studied progesterone levels in many pregnancies and has developed a program of supplementing progesterone when necessary. You could have your progesterone levels measured, and use injectable progesterone or vaginal suppositories if these levels are low. Physicians who have been trained as Medical Consultants at the Pope Paul VI Institute are familiar with this protocol and can be found at http://www.fertilitycare.org/. Another possibility is sharing this protocol with your health care provider. Or if your baby is close to being weaned, you could consider doing so at this time.
Best wishes with this decision, which is not an easy one.
Mary L. Davenport, M.D.
Dr. Mary Davenport is an obstetrician-gynecologist in private practice in El Sobrante, California.
She graduated from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed her residency at the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Davenport is also a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
She has an NFP-only medical practice and is a Medical Consultant in Natural Family Planning.
She is a board member for CANFP and the American Association of Pro-Life OBGyn's.
© Copyright 2005 by CANFP
The information on this page and web site is for informational purposes only,
and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment by a physician.
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