Patient's question:
I had a cesarean section and have been breastfeeding for over three months. Is it okay to take oral contraceptives during this period? Should I stop breastfeeding? What kind of help I need: Can I take birth control pills? How long should I wait after taking the pills before breastfeeding?Doctor's answer:
Breastfeeding women should not use oral contraceptives containing estrogen. Because the intake of estrogen can cause gastrointestinal reactions in breastfeeding women, affect appetite, and increase the content of protein, fat, and trace elements in breast milk, which has a significant impact on the growth and development of infants.Recommendation: At the same time, if the milk containing estrogen is absorbed by infants, it may lead to breast development in male infants and abnormal secondary sexual characteristics such as vaginal epithelial fibrosis and labial hypertrophy in female infants. Additionally, if breastfeeding women take estrogen orally for 3 to 6 weeks, their milk production may decrease by about half, which is highly unfavorable for the infant during sexual activity.