Geraghty Sheela R, Khoury Jane C, Morrow Ardythe L, Lanphear Bruce P
Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA.
Breastfeed Med. 2008 Dec;3(4):207-13. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2008.0120.
Environmental chemicals are readily measured in human milk. Although it is imperative to conduct studies on frequency of detection and effects of exposures to environmental chemicals in human milk, the potential impact of reporting individual test results to lactating women is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if mothers want to know if chemicals are in their breastmilk and if knowing the results would alter their breastfeeding practices.
We surveyed 381 mothers who were participating in a longitudinal birth cohort about whether they wanted to receive individual test results for environmental chemicals in their milk and whether they would alter their breastfeeding patterns if they were told that their milk contained "low" or "high" levels of phthalates.
Among the women who breastfed, 68% said that they wanted to know if there were chemicals in their breastmilk. Of breastfeeding women, 78% and 93% of mothers reported that they would either discontinue breastfeeding sooner than intended or pump and discard their milk if they were told they had "low" or "high" levels of phthalates in their milk, respectively. African American women were significantly more likely than Caucasian women to report that they would immediately wean if told of phthalates in their milk.
Concern about environmental chemicals in breastmilk may lead to early termination of breastfeeding. Chemical manufacturers and researchers should recognize the potential implications of isolating and reporting environmental chemicals in breastmilk.
环境化学物质很容易在人乳中被检测到。尽管对人乳中环境化学物质的检测频率及暴露影响进行研究势在必行,但向哺乳期妇女报告个体检测结果的潜在影响却知之甚少。本研究的目的是确定母亲们是否想知道她们的母乳中是否含有化学物质,以及得知检测结果是否会改变她们的母乳喂养习惯。
我们对381名参与纵向出生队列研究的母亲进行了调查,询问她们是否想收到自己乳汁中环境化学物质的个体检测结果,以及如果被告知她们的乳汁中含有“低”或“高”水平的邻苯二甲酸盐,她们是否会改变母乳喂养方式。
在进行母乳喂养的女性中,68%表示她们想知道自己的母乳中是否含有化学物质。在进行母乳喂养的女性中,分别有78%和93%的母亲报告称,如果被告知她们的乳汁中含有“低”或“高”水平的邻苯二甲酸盐,她们会比预期更早停止母乳喂养或将乳汁挤出并丢弃。非裔美国女性比白人女性更有可能报告说,如果被告知乳汁中含有邻苯二甲酸盐,她们会立即断奶。
对母乳中环境化学物质的担忧可能导致母乳喂养提前终止。化学制造商和研究人员应认识到分离并报告母乳中环境化学物质的潜在影响。