Nutrition
Jagdish M. Gupta, John Beveridge in MCQs in Paediatrics, 2020
2.3. The mother of a newborn infant presents with a red, hot, hard and painful segment in the upper outer quadrant of her left breast accompanied with rigors. Her temperature is 38°C. Which of the following statements is/are correct?The most likely diagnosis is breast engorgement. Β The mother should be treated with amoxicillin and flucloxacillin.Until resolution of the problem, the breast milk will need to be discarded as it is infected.Incomplete emptying of the breast has contributed to the problem.Breast feeding should be encouraged as cessation will predispose to abscess.
The puerperium
Louise C Kenny, Jenny E Myers in Obstetrics, 2017
Engorgement of the breasts usually begins by the second or third postpartum day and if breastfeeding has not been effectively established, the overdistended and engorged breasts can be very uncomfortable. Breast engorgement results in a puerperal fever of up to 39°C in around 15% of women. Although the fever rarely lasts more than 16 hours, other infective causes must be excluded. A number of remedies for the treatment of breast engorgement, such as manual expression, firm support, cabbage leaves, ice bags and electric breast pumps, have all been recommended in the past, but allowing the baby easy access to the breast is the most effective method of treatment and prevention.
Medical evaluation and management of pregnant patients undergoing non-obstetrical surgery
Hung N. Winn, Frank A. Chervenak, Roberto Romero in Clinical Maternal-Fetal Medicine Online, 2021
Breast malignancies are not an uncommon occurrence in pregnancy; approximately 10,000 pregnancies per year are associated with breast cancer (46). The prognosis of pregnant patients with breast carcinoma is poorer than those without pregnancy, not due to blood flow changes or hormonal milieu but due to a delay in diagnosis. Physiologic and anatomic alterations of the breast function and anatomy may mask parenchymal breast lesions and self-discovery of a mass or discovery by physical exam may be delayed until a mass has grown to a larger size (47,48). Breast engorgement, proliferation of glands and ducts, lactation, and increased vascularity all contribute to this phenomenon (48,49).
Effect of cold cabbage leaf application on breast engorgement and pain in the postpartum period: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Published in Health Care for Women International, 2023
Meltem Ozkaya, Oznur Korukcu
Breast engorgement is one of the most common physiological breastfeeding problems and a condition characterized by painful swelling of the breasts in the first two weeks of lactation as a result of a sudden increase in milk volume, lymphatic and vascular congestion, and interstitial edema (Arora et al., 2008; Sharma, 2018). The reported prevalence of breast engorgement varies among studies, ranging from 20% to 75% (Indrani & Sowmya, 2020; Wong et al., 2017). Overfilling of the alveoli causes the milk-secreting cells to expand, and the tension created by this expansion reduces the blood flow around the alveolar cells and the activity of the milk-producing cells (Kamali Moradzade et al., 2013). Breast engorgement may occur due to ineffective suckling by the infant or inadequate frequency of feeding (Udayan et al., 2014). Breast engorgement may cause numerous problems, such as pain, tenderness, clogged milk ducts, decreased milk production, and inadequate breastfeeding (Aprilina et al., 2021; Wong et al., 2017), which may cause complications such as early termination of breastfeeding, cracked nipples, mastitis, and breast abscess (Mangesi & Zakarija-Grkovic, 2016). Furthermore, it is known that ineffective treatment of breast engorgement leads to failure of milk production in the early postpartum period and premature cessation of breastfeeding (Wong et al., 2017). Therefore, non-pharmacological approaches, such as cold cabbage leaves, massage, cold gel packs, cabbage leaf extract, hot compresses and warm showers, Gua Sha massage, acupuncture, and therapeutic ultrasound to evacuate full breasts are becoming increasingly popular (Disha et al., 2015; Khosravan et al., 2017; Kumari, 2019; Snowden et al., 2001; Wong et al., 2017; Zagloul et al., 2020). Of paramount importance when managing breast engorgement is ensuring that milk continues to flow from the breast and that it is effectively discharged by the breastfeeding infant or an artificial method of expression (Lawrence & Pane, 2011).
Related Knowledge Centers
- Acupuncture
- Breast Milk
- Edema
- Mammary Gland
- Mastitis
- Colostrum
- Pain
- Breastfeeding
- Influenza-Like Illness
- Gua Sha