Postpartum Deworming: Improving Breastfeeding and Optimizing Infant Growth

Theresa Gyorkos of McGill University in Canada and colleagues will investigate whether treating worm infections in lactating women has a beneficial effect on breast milk production and on infant and maternal health. They will conduct a double blind, randomized, controlled trial in Peruvian mothers following in-hospital delivery, and analyze the effect of de-worming on quantity and quality of breast milk, maternal anemia, and infant growth and morbidity, over a 24-month period. Their ultimate aim is to improve the health of both mother and child by informing global policy on maternal postpartum care.