Breastfeeding and fertility treatments?

swarbral · July 2013

Does anyone know if if is ok to breastfeed and undergo fertility treatments? Obviously I will discuss this with my doctor when we get serious but I'm just looking for some preliminary info from you helpful ladies.Due to my husband's treatments for testicular cancer, we can only get pregnant with help, using his banked sperm. I got pregnant last year using Puregon injections, a prolactin suppressing drug, Orgalutran for progesterone suppression, Ovidrel and an IUI. We'd like to try again for #2 later this year, but I'd like to continue breastfeeding my DD as well. Any info for me? Thanks!

kofmkg · July 2013

I was nursing my son when we decided to consult an RE to TTC #2. I researched a lot and asked around. Ultimately, the decision to continue with fertility testing/treatment is up to your RE's discretion-- and most I have found will not even pursue testing much less treatment if you are still nursing. Some studies have not determined whether fertility drugs have any harmful effect on a nursing child, but many RE's don't want to take that chance. And in fertility testing, b/c of the elevated hormones (progesterone/prolactin) associated with nursing, results from fertility tests could be skewed.

We made the difficult decision to wean for the sake of continuing fertility testing-- but we were also ready to wean b/c we had nursed for 27 months.

doublefiesta · July 2013

This was just on a local board. Most REs won't see you if you're still nursing bc a hormone needed for lactation can suppress ovulation. One mom said her RE wanted her to have weaned for two months before starting treatment.

shirz903 · July 2013

My RE wouldn't treat me until I weaned. They did run my blood work just to see and my prolactin levels were through the roof, understandably,but they did not want to mess with my hormones. Luckily for me, it was the right time to wean and I go for my first visit next week.