[Comparison of breastfeeding duration in women before and after breast reduction surgery]

Breast reduction surgery often concern women of childbearing age. However, it can interfere with the ability to breastfeed, whereas the benefits of breastfeeding are well known. Current data in the literature do not provide precise information on the possibilities of breastfeeding after breast reduction surgery.

The aim of this study was to assess long-term breastfeeding ability of women after breast reduction performed in our centre.

This is a retrospective comparative study including patients treated with breast reduction at Saint-Louis Hospital between 2010 and 2017 and who have had children before or after surgery. Operative details were retrieved from medical records and ability to breastfeed was assessed during a phone interview. Breastfeeding before surgery was compared to breastfeeding after surgery.

We analysed 21 births before and 35 births after breast reduction. Breastfeeding initiation was similar in the two groups (90% vs. 83%, P=0.7), but the median duration was significantly shorter after breast reduction compared with before (3 weeks vs. 10 weeks; P<0.01), the rate of breastfed child at 3 months was lower after surgery (11% vs. 43%; P<0.01), the use of infant formula was higher after surgery (100% vs. 74%, P<0.01), and we found a higher rate of discontinuation caused by hypogalactia (69% vs. 11%; P<0.001).

Breastfeeding is possible but more difficult to sustain over time after breast reduction. Patients need to be made aware of that before surgery, and patients who still want to breastfeed should be encouraged at the maternity.