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LAM is an Effective Birth Control Method, According to WHO



In the September issue of "Fertility and Sterility," the Word Health Organization agreed that the Lactational Amenorrhea Method (often called LAM) is an effective method of birth control.

The Lactational Amenorrhea Method uses three measures of a woman's fertility (the return of her menstrual period, her patterns of breastfeeding, and the time postpartum) to allow women to rely on breastfeeding as a family planning method.

A group of WHO researchers, led by Dr. Helena von Hertzen of the Task Force on Methods for the Natural Regulations of Fertility, concluded that, "The period of lactational amenorrhea is characterized by a profound degree of protection from pregnancy."

By studying more than 4,000 women in seven countries around the world, the researchers found that in the first six months postpartum, LAM is equivalent to the protection provided by most nonpermanent contraceptive methods. However, the pregnancy rate of women practicing LAM did increase between six and 12 months postpartum.