Evaluation of female mammary gland development and development of predictive index of lactation secretion using ultrasonic image

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15849
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Kanazawa University
• Principal Investigator: AWANO Masayo 金沢大学, 保健学系, 研究協力員 (80751437)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KONISHI Kayono 金沢大学, 保健学系, 助教 (80708470)
• Research Collaborator: KITAJIMA Yuka ; ORITA Akane
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 乳腺 / 携帯型超音波画像診断装置 / 妊娠 / 母乳分泌 / 母乳育児

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we used a portable ultrasound diagnostic imaging device (pocket ultrasonography).After demonstrating that observation of the mammary gland is possible even with a pocket ultrasonography by comparison with a high performance ultrasonography, we examined changes in the mammary gland associated with the course of pregnancy from pregnancy to late pregnancy for pregnant women. As a result, it was observed that mammary gland thickness increased over the course of pregnancy. This study showed that pocket ultrasonography is useful in evaluating pregnancy-related mammary gland development on the basis of changes in mammary gland thickness.
Unfortunately, it was not possible to develop predictive index of lactation secretion due to shortage of subjects. However, we found that lactation secretion after birth may differ depending on when mammary gland develops.

Free Research Field

母乳育児支援