An Australian study says that women who opt to have an epidural during childbirth are more prone to breast-feeding problems in their first week. They are also more likely to stop breast-feeding in less than six months.

The study can be read in the Dec. 11 issue of the International Breastfeeding Journal.

The research team studied 1,280 women who gave birth between March 1997 and October 1997.

Of the 416 or 33 percent women who had an epidural, 172 of them or 41 percent underwent a Caesarean section.

Results show that 93 percent of the women in the study breast-fed their baby in the first week after birth.

Although, it was observed that women who had an epidural were more likely to have a hard time breast-feeding during the first few days after delivery and do it less often.

The authors said the results fuel the mounting body of evidence that fentanyl found in epidurals can be linked to breast-feeding difficulties.

Sue Jordan, senior lecturer in applied therapeutics at Swansea University, said that the effect of opioids and epidurals on breast-feeding should be cited as an "adverse drug reaction."

She said there must be "extra support to be offered to the most vulnerable women, to ensure that their infants are not disadvantaged by this hidden, but far-reaching, adverse drug reaction."