Mastitis, a painful breast infection, is experienced by one in five breastfeeding mothers.
New research led by Professor Lisa Amir, Principal Research Fellow at La Trobe's Judith Lumley Centre, examines how mastitis is treated by General Practitioners.
“Women experiencing mastitis are recommended to consult their doctor, yet little is known about how mastitis is managed by GPs in Australia or internationally,” Professor Amir explains.
“While mastitis can occur at any stage of lactation, it is most likely to develop in the first four weeks after birth. Women experiencing mastitis in this timeframe are more likely to stop breastfeeding, so it is important to understand how it is treated by GPs.”
The research team asked how doctors how they treat mastitis and make decisions about prescribing antibiotics for breastfeeding women.
They found that antibiotics were central to the management of the condition, and this was mostly aligned with best practice guidelines.
"GPs often prescribe antibiotics with instructions to try other measures first, known as delayed prescribing. We also found that pain management medications seemed to play a minor role in the treatment of mastitis.”
Professor Amir’s research will inform the development of new guidelines for clinicians that emphasize the importance of pain management for patients with inflammatory symptoms.
“We will also look at other ways to support GPs in the management of mastitis, including direction on when investigations are needed and when to refer to hospital or other consultants.”
