I get asked this question a lot when I do breast reductions on young women. We know any breast surgery can affect your ability to breastfeed, but can we advise more specifically?
“Superomedial Reduction Mammoplasty Affects Patients’ Ability to Breastfeedin a Distinct Manner: A Multicenter Study of 303 Patients.” This was in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, November 2021.
Of note, the vertical lollipop breast reduction I do uses this pedicle. Anecdotally I have patients who I have done reductions on with this technique who have been able to successfully breastfeed. But many of my patients have surgery after babies, or they may have pregnancies afterwards and not contact me, so I do not know the numbers. The aim of this study was to try to answer that.
Study: Patients treated with a breast reduction between 2009 and 2018 in Denmark. They were put into two groups: those who had not yet had kids, and those who had had kids prior and after. They also looked at nipple sensitivity and the amount of tissue removed with the breast reduction.
Findings?
- 303 patients
- 37 had babies after only.
- Fewer patients were able to breastfeed exclusively for the recommended 6 months after reduction (2/37, vs 92/266 who could before)
- 18/37 could not breastfeed at all after reduction, compared to 241/266 prior to mammoplasty.
- Those who could not breastfeed had LOWER NIPPLE SENSITIVITY and MORE BREAST TISSUE REMOVED.
My thoughts?
I think the last sentence is the most important. If they had lower sensation and more tissue removed, then the key is likely how small did they go? How big was the pedicle? Is there a critical amount which needs to be maintained?
For sure, this requires more follow up, as breast reductions are so common for young women. Again, my anecdotal experience is better than the numbers they show here, but the issue and how we can address it is very important.