Effect of pregnancy and breast-feeding on vertical …



Effect of Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding on Vertical Mammaplasty

Norma Cruz-Korchin, M.D., Leo Korchin, DDS, MS

The alterations brought about by pregnancy and breast-feeding on the vertical reduction mammaplasty have not previously been evaluated. Hormonal changes during these periods affect the breast resulting in its enlargement. After breast-feeding has ended, involution of the gland requires that the stretched skin envelope re-drapes properly. Young and elastic skin may successfully accommodate to the fluctuations in breast volume but less elastic skin may not be able to do so.

Method: A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the effect of pregnancy and breast-feeding on the breasts of women who had undergone vertical reduction mammaplasty. In all cases a medial full-thickness dermoglandular pedicle had been used for nipple-areola complex transposition. The study group consisted of 57 women who had pregnancies after their vertical reduction mammaplasty. Of this group, 24 breast-fed. The control group consisted of 103 women who had vertical mammaplasty but had no subsequent pregnancies. All patients had breast measurements routinely performed at the time of suture removal two weeks postoperatively. For this study the women were requested to return for evaluation at about 24 months (range 18 to 26 months) after the surgery. The following measurements were made for comparison with those made early postoperatively: 1) mid-clavicle to nipple and 2) inframmamary fold to inferior areola (Fig. 1). In the study group no measurements were made until at least 6 months after completing pregnancy or breast-feeding. A standardized evaluation form was completed that included the age, body mass index, amount of tissue removed per breast,

pregnancies after the mammaplasty, history of breast feeding, and breast measurements.

Figure 1. Breast measurements taken:

(a) mid-clavicle to nipple

(b) inframammary fold to inferior areola

Results: The results demonstrated no significant difference between the control and the study groups regarding age (27±12 vs. 29±10), body mass index (26±5 vs. 27±4), and amount of tissue excised (610±201 grams vs. 598±279 grams). The breast measurement between the mid-clavicle to nipple was not significantly altered by pregnancy with or without breast feeding. A statistically significant (p ................
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