Premium
Comparative study of breastfeeding structure and its relation to human reproductive ecology
Author(s) -
Vitzthum Virginia J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.1330370611
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , variation (astronomy) , human reproduction , demography , biology , ecology , developmental psychology , psychology , medicine , sociology , genetics , physics , pathology , astrophysics
Although a controversial issue in the not distant past, it is now well established that breastfeeding is the primary factor mediating post‐partum subfecundity. This complex interaction between behavior and physiology is a central research focus in several fields sharing a common concern with the mechanisms that regulate human reproduction. Despite the demonstrated linkage between lactation and return of the first post‐partum menses, many questions regarding the relationship between variation in breastfeeding behavior and variation in ovarian function remain unanswered. In particular, women of seemingly comparable breastfeeding magnitude display substantial heterogeneity in the duration of post‐partum subfecundity. In addition, the hormonal mechanisms by which lactation regulates ovarian function remain unclear, and the debates regarding the contribution of factors other than breastfeeding to post‐partum subfecundity continue unresolved. Part of the difficulty in addressing these questions derives from the use of disparate methodological approaches and an absence of specificity in analytical units. In particular, maternal recall of breastfeeding behavior is subject to substantial bias yet is the data source for most analyses. In addition, although a growing body of evidence suggests that variation in breastfeeding structure may contribute to variation in ovarian function, most studies fail to distinguish or evaluate the different components of suckling behavior. Elucidating the bases of this variation amongst women and populations requires disentangling the roles of the environment, culture, and behavior in structuring suckling activity. Anthropologists in particular have an opportunity to achieve significant insights into the ecology of human breastfeeding and reproduction. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.