What is the Lactational Amenorrhea Method?
The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) is a method of family planning based on the natural protection against pregnancy for up to six months after birth, allowing a woman time to prepare to transition to another appropriate modern method of family planning during the critical postpartum period.
LAM provides effective protection from pregnancy for postpartum women, provided she meets the following three criteria:
1. The woman’s menstrual bleeding has not returned since her baby was born;
2. The baby is only/exclusively breastfed (meaning the woman breastfeeds her baby “on demand,” day and night ,and does not give any other food, water or liquids);
3. The baby is less than six months old.
2. The baby is only/exclusively breastfed (meaning the woman breastfeeds her baby “on demand,” day and night ,and does not give any other food, water or liquids);
3. The baby is less than six months old.
When any one of these three criteria is not met, it is important for the woman to start using another family planning method.
LAM has many advantages, including:
- It provides an entry point for postpartum women to start using a family planning method.
- It is a very appropriate method for young, married, low parity women for its utility for birth spacing and reinforcement of healthy breastfeeding practices.
- It is easily accepted by women, their husbands and families because it is non-hormonal.
- It is very effective; LAM is over 98% effective for up to 6 months postpartum with typical use.
- Because the use and promotion of LAM reinforces optimal infant feeding messages and practices, LAM is an intervention that can have significant positive effects on the health and nutritional status of young children.
It is essential that programs serving women of childbearing age offer not only LAM, but a range of appropriate family planning methods for those women who wish to continue using a family planning method once they no longer meet the criteria for LAM use, and for women who do not wish to use LAM.
IRH technical assistance for LAM integration into public and NGO programs in India has resulted in over 10,000 LAM users in India since 2006.
For more information on LAM, including tools that programs can download and use, click here
