It is often supposed that breastfeeding rates may be adversely affected by drugs taken in labour. A large retrospective study was carried out in Wales to investigate associations between drugs routinely administered in labour and breastfeeding outcomes at 48 hours, in healthy women and infants. At 48 hours, 43.3 per cent of women were not breastfeeding. Statistical analysis confirmed previously reported associations of lower breastfeeding rates with epidural analgesia, intramuscular opioid analgesia and ergometrine. In addition it was found that oxytocin use, alone or in combination with ergometrine administered for prevention of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), intravenous oxytocin and prostaglandins administered for induction of labour were all also associated with lower breastfeeding rates. The authors conclude that prospective studies on drugs used in labour are needed to investigate the potential associations between intrapartum medications and lower breastfeeding rates.
