| Title: | Maternal areola pH: A chemical basis for mother-infant recognition |
| Author(s): | Zanardo V; Volpe F; Parotto M; Giliberti L; Simbi A; Severino L; Straface G; |
| Address: | "Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy. Electronic address: vincenzo.zanardo@libero.it. Division of Perinatal Medicine, Policlinico Abano Terme, Abano Terme, Italy. Department of Anesthesiology, Toronto University, Toronto, Canada" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.05.001 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1872-6232 (Electronic) 0378-3782 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: The human female's areolar region is the point of arrival of a natural progression from birth to breastfeeding continuum, supported by numerous functional features. AIMS: The aim of this study was to look more closely into the areola' skin chemical signals that are uniquely important for mother-infant chemoemission, chemoreception, and breastfeeding continuum. STUDY DESIGN: A dermatological study of the areolae and corresponding breast quadrants was undertaken on 71 healthy, at-term women. Areolar and corresponding breast quadrant pH were assessed pre-partum and 1 and 2?ª+days post-partum using a corneometer (Soft Plus 5.5; Callegari S.P.A., Parma, Italy). RESULTS: Pre-partum, the pH of the areola was significantly higher than the pH of the breast quadrant (4.25?ª++/-?ª+0.26 vs. 4.06?ª++/-?ª+0.44, p?ª+ |
| Keywords: | "Adult Breast Feeding/psychology Female Humans Hydrogen-Ion Concentration *Mother-Child Relations Nipples/*chemistry Pheromones, Human/*analysis *Recognition, Psychology Smell Areolar skin pH Breast feeding continuum Chemical identification Chemoreception;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineZanardo, Vincenzo Volpe, Francesca Parotto, Matteo Giliberti, Lara Simbi, Alphonse Severino, Lorenzo Straface, Gianluca eng Ireland 2018/05/11 Early Hum Dev. 2018 Jun; 121:33-36. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2018.05.001. Epub 2018 May 8" |
