📖 ABSTRACT/OVERVIEW
Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus may impair lactogenesis through hormonal dysregulation, delayed onset of lactation, and infant hypoglycaemia requiring supplementation. Physiological determinants of exclusive breastfeeding success specifically among Nigerian mothers with gestational diabetes are entirely unstudied, representing a gap that has clinical consequences for both maternal and infant health. Objectives: This study aims to identify physiological predictors of exclusive breastfeeding success at six weeks postpartum among mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, focusing on postnatal prolactin levels, thyroid function, postpartum glucose homeostasis, and body mass index. Methods: Sixty mothers with gestational diabetes and forty normoglycaemic controls will be recruited postpartum. Serum prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, and two-hour postprandial glucose will be measured at weeks two and six postpartum. Exclusive breastfeeding status will be verified by 24-hour dietary recall. Logistic regression will identify physiological predictors of breastfeeding failure. Expected Outcomes: Mothers with gestational diabetes are anticipated to demonstrate lower prolactin responses and higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding failure, with postpartum hyperglycaemia and hypothyroidism as independent predictors. Conclusion: Findings will guide targeted lactation support for mothers with gestational diabetes in Nigerian tertiary maternity services. Keywords: gestational diabetes, breastfeeding, prolactin, lactogenesis, Jos University Teaching Hospital.
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