[Lactation-induced amenorrhea as birth control method].

Improving access to quality care in family planning, a recent document of the World Health Organization, reviews the epidemiological and clinical evidence relevant to medical eligibility of well established contraceptive methods. Breastfeeding is widely regarded as unreliable for individual contraception. The document, however, argues that the lactational amenorrhoea method (LAM) is a safe and effective family planning method. Worldwide, LAM is the most important way of fertility regulation and its efficacy is confirmed in many studies, with a 2% risk of pregnancy in the first six months after birth. Taking into account certain well defined conditions (frequent feedings, no supplementary feeding before 4-6 months, method only to be used in the absence of menstruation), LAM can be relied on for contraceptive protection for up to 1 year post partum.