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Status unknownNCT05207241Updated Jan 26, 2022

The Effect of Gravity on the Occurrence of Lactational Mastitis

An observational study in Lactation Mastitis, sponsored by Shengjing Hospital. Status unknown at 1 site in China. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-01-26.

Sponsored by Shengjing Hospital · Observational

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Jan 2022), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
2,000
Ages
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

Lactation is the instinct of almost all mammals, including human beings. With the development of human society, the function of lactation has gradually deviated from nature instinct. Breastfeeding related industries, such as milk bottles, formula and breast pumps, have formed a vast consumer market, leading to a transition from breastfeeding mothers' individual instinct to the social division of labor. Previous studies found that the incidence of lactational mastitis remains largely unchanged post World War II with some reporting an increase, suggesting the hazards of lactational mastitis still exist under the background of social division of labor. Breast milk contains ingredients that improve the immunity of newborns. By affecting mothers' breastfeeding, lactational mastitis pose a hazard for newborns, increasing the chances of developing respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases. For breastfeeding mothers, severe mastitis may develop into breast abscess due to improper treatment in the early stage. In addition to antibiotic treatment, incision, drainage and even surgery may be required. These potentially increase the risk of developing postpartum depression, type II diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Compared with other mammals, humans and cows have a higher incidence of lactational mastitis, indicating that human intervention in breastfeeding may be the cause of the high incidence. On the other hand, as a result of walking upright, humans' hands are liberated, forming complex and diverse breastfeeding position. According to the Sakra World Hospital, these positions are classified into eight types: cradle, cross cradle, supine, football, Australian hold, inverted lateral, lateral cradle, and lateral. The pilot study demonstrated that different breastfeeding positions are closed related to the occurrence of lactational mastitis, and to the location of mastitis. Assuming that the baby's sucking factors remain the same, there must be differences in the milk drainage in different breastfeeding positions under the influence of gravity. Researchist speculate that breastfeeding women who opt to a position that cause an anti-gravitational expulsion of milk are more likely to develop lactational mastitis. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how the scientific guidance on the gravitationally assisted breastfeeding positions will reduce the occurrence of mastitis.

Read the detailed description

Time of recruitment: 1 December 2021 - 30 April 2022. Two thousand women who meet the following criteria are to be recruited:(1) primparious women; (2) full-term delivery;(3) age ≤35 (4) breastfeeding within 7 days after delivery; (5) with autonomous behavior ability; (6) provide voluntary informed consent; (7) ability to breastfeed individually(8) prenatal breast ultrasound shows no breast lesions.. Exclusive criteria: (1) abnormal breast or nipple development (Poland syndrome or degree II and above inverted nipple); (2) history of breast surgery; (3) history of chest radiotherapy; (4) history of malignant tumors; (5) History of mastitis; (6) severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, chronic diseases (Ecog score >3, long-term medication affects breastfeeding); (7) skin diseases or connective tissue diseases; (8) Hepatitis, syphilis, gonorrhea, AIDS and other infectious diseases. Criteria of elimination after recruitment: (1) failure to follow the breastfeeding instruction; (2) painless breast mass.

Participants are to be randomly divided into the interventional group which provides guidance on gravitationally assisted breastfeeding, and into the control group which provides general breastfeeding guidance. Through the social media network WeChat, each participant receives breastfeeding guidance before their first breastfeeding, and once a month until 6 months after childbirth. Additionally, at 3 and 6 postpartum, the breasts will be examined by a breast surgeon at Shenyang Women and Infants Hospital. Infant's height and weight will be measured and recorded at 6 months. The incidence of breastfeeding mastitis and the rate of baby weight gain are compared between the groups. This clinical cohort study aims to investigate effects of scientific guidance on the gravitationally assisted breastfeeding positions on the occurrence of breast mastitis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Lactation Mastitis

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Keywords

  • Lactation breastfeeding position
  • mastitis
  • gravity
  • breastfeeding position
03

In context

Mastitis

31 studies on the registry are indexed under Mastitis; 7 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 2,000 is above the median of 211 across 14 observational studies indexed under Mastitis.

Browse Mastitis studies →

Lead sponsor

Shengjing Hospital is the lead sponsor of 127 studies on the registry; 59 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

  • primparious women;
  • full-term delivery;
  • age ≤35;
  • breastfeeding within 7 days after delivery;
  • with autonomous behavior ability;
  • provide voluntary informed consent;
  • ability to breastfeed individually;
  • prenatal breast ultrasound shows no breast lesions.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • primparious women;
  • full-term delivery;
  • age ≤35;
  • breastfeeding within 7 days after delivery;
  • with autonomous behavior ability;
  • provide voluntary ; • ability to breastfeed individually;
  • prenatal breast ultrasound shows no breast lesions.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • abnormal breast or nipple development (Poland syndrome or degree II and above inverted nipple);
  • istory of breast surgery;
  • history of chest radiotherapy;
  • history of malignant tumors;
  • history of mastitis;
  • severe cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, chronic diseases (Ecog score >3, long-term medication affects breastfeeding);
  • skin diseases or connective tissue diseases;
  • Hepatitis, syphilis, gonorrhea, AIDS and other infectious diseases.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

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05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
2,000 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Control group

    Under the professional guidance of doctors, participating women (1) breastfeed individually without using a breast pump; (2) massage their breasts 4 times a day for 15 minutes each time; (3) breastfeeding time is scientifically matched with infant's schedule; (4) alternative breastfeed, ensuring emptying one breast within 24 hours. Doctors follow up once a month via WeChat. Participants complete the questionnaires. A breast ultrasound will be performed every three months. The infant weight will be measured and recorded 6 months after breastfeeding

    Other: provides guidance on gravitationally assisted breastfeeding

Interventions

  • Otherprovides guidance on gravitationally assisted breastfeeding

    Prior to the first breastfeeding after delivery, the guidance of gravitationally assisted breastfeeding will be provided. The primary breastfeeding position is advised to be the sitting position, supplemented by the lateral position with a time ratio of 4:1. The following guidance will also be given: (1) participating women breastfeed individually without using a breast pump; (2) massage their breasts 4 times a day for 15 minutes each time; (3) breastfeeding time is scientifically matched with infant's schedule; (4) alternative breastfeed, ensuring emptying one breast within 24 hours. Doctors follow up once a month via WeChat. Participants complete the questionnaires. A breast ultrasound will be performed every three months. The infant weight will be measured and recorded 6 months after breastfeeding.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The occurrence of lactational mastitis during breastfeeding

    The incidence of lactational mastitis is defined as the proportion of breastfeeding mastitis that occurs during the period between the first breastfeeding and 6 months post-partum.

    Time frame: Six months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Breast swelling and pain

    Mastitis is caused by the failure of milk to discharge in time, resulting in milk accumulation.Milk accumulation is a prodrome of lactational mastitis.

    Time frame: Six months

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute
    Shenyang, Liaoning 110042, China
    Recruiting
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 26, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05207241
Lead sponsor
Shengjing Hospital
Responsible party
Jianyi Li (Principal Investigator, Shengjing Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jan 26, 2022
Start date
Jan 1, 2022
Primary completion
Jan 31, 2023 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 31, 2024 (estimated)
Last update
Jan 26, 2022

Study contacts

Jianyi Li, Master
Contact
sjbreast@yeah.net
8618940257177
Jianyi Li, Master
principal investigator · Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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