Human breast areolae as scent organs: Morphological data and possible involvement in maternal-neonatal coadaptation

Abstract

In humans, areolar skin glands (AG) enlarge during pregnancy and lactation. Their role in mother-infant interactions may pertain to protective, mechanical, and communicative functions. It was questioned here whether more profuse AG could be related to more optimal adaptation to breastfeeding. A morphological study of the areolae was undertaken between birth and day 3 to assess the number, secretory status, and spatial distribution of AG. These data were related to infants' weight variation, mothers' perception of their infant's behavior at breast, and time between delivery and onset of lactation. AG were seen in virtually all women but with great interindividual variations; their areolar distribution was nonrandom, and about 1/5 of the women had AG giving off a secretion. The AG number was positively related with neonatal weight gain between birth and day 3, and with the mother's perception of infant's latching speed and sucking activity. AG numbers were also positively related with the onset of lactation in first-time mothers. In conclusion, the maternal endowment in AG may contribute to the infants' breastfeeding performance, early growth, and the mother's lactation onset.

The “smellscape” of mother's breast: Effects of odor masking and selective unmasking on neonatal arousal, oral, and visual responses

“…Histologists describe indeed the areolar glands of Montgomery as miniature lacteal units combined with sebaceous units (Smith et al, 1982). Milk is thus emitted from the nipples, but also from montgomerian pores on the areolae (sometimes in visible amounts; Montgomery, 1837;Schaal et al, 2006), and it may confer olfactory resemblance to the different stimulus conditions explored here (Schaal, Coureaud, Moncomble, Langlois, & Perrier, 2007a). A second possibility is that, during repeated suckling episodes, the areolar skin and nearby breast skin is contaminated with odorous compounds from milk.…”

“…The nipple/areola system is a patch of skin bearing a dense supply of varied sources giving off potentially odorous substrates (Schaal, 1988;Schaal, Doucet, Sagot, Hertling, & Soussignan, 2006). In addition, this skin area is the object of attentive care in lactating women, so that it is often anointed with scented pomades to which infants become also reactive (Delaunay-El Allam, Marlier, & Schaal, 2006).…”

Mutual Olfactory Recognition Between Mother and Child

“…Such a pattern suggests that these responses are learned and conditional, rather than instinctive responses, as suggested by Porter et al (1991). Such learning appears to begin with the neonate's first attempt to locate the nipple, focusing on the odour cues on the breast that release activity in newborns, such as secretions from the areolar glands (Doucet et al, 2007;Schaal et al, 2006).…”

Nipple-areola complex macro photography to test skin hydration and cracked nipples in breastfeeding women

“…The human female's nipple-areola complex (NAC) is of particular interest towards its crucial role in the natural progression of the birth to breastfeeding continuum [1]. In newborn mammals the nipples provide access to colostrum and milk facilitating early breast-feeding attempts and successful nipple grasping and feeding [1][2][3][4].…”

“…In newborn mammals the nipples provide access to colostrum and milk facilitating early breast-feeding attempts and successful nipple grasping and feeding [1][2][3][4].…”