Lactation suppression and puerperal fever

Seventy-five puerperal women who did not wish to breast-feed were treated with bromocriptine mesylate (Parlodel) or placebo in a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Results revealed a puerperal fever incidence of 18.6%, 13.3% of which was due to breast engorgement and 5.3% to an infectious process. Parlodel prevented puerperal fever in 87.9% of patients. If Parlodel was given within 18 hours of delivery, physiologic puerperal fever was prevented in 100% of cases.