Home > Health Guides by Topic > Sexuality & Sexual Health > Contraception/Birth Control > Lactational Amenorrhea MethodLactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) for Women Who Are Breastfeeding:
A Guide for Teens
What is the Lactational Amenorrhea Method and how does it work?
The Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) can only work to prevent pregnancy for a woman whose baby is less than six months old and who is only breast-feeding her baby. The suckling (breast-feeding by a baby) changes how a woman's body works and stops a woman's ovaries from releasing an egg. When there is no egg, pregnancy can't happen.
| Out of 100 women using the lactational amenorrhea method | |
| Typical use: 2 women become pregnant |  |
| Perfect use: 2 women become pregnant | |
How effective is Lactational Amenorrhea Method?
If women use LAM and all the conditions are met, it is 98% effective. This means that if 100 women use LAM perfectly, 2 women will become pregnant in a year. Perfect use means if a woman has not had her menstrual period since having her baby, if she is ONLY using breast feeding to feed her baby (at least 6-10 times a day, including night feedings), and if the baby is less than 6 months old. Once any of these 3 conditions are not true, LAM is very unreliable and a woman should use a back-up method of contraception to protect against pregnancy. LAM does not protect against STDs.
Are there any problems with LAM?
LAM is a very natural way to protect against pregnancy. You should contact your health care provider when you start getting your menstrual period again. It is very important to begin using birth control before the baby is 6 months old.
Updated: 10/16/2009
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