Ms Melinda Boss
Ms Melinda Boss
The University of Western Australia
Senior Research Fellow, School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia
Melinda Boss is a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Western Australia (UWA) where she is chief investigator and founder of the LactaResearch group. Melinda joined UWA in 2010 to follow her passion for improving the breastfeeding experience for mothers and infants. She initially worked with the Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group and then moved to the Pharmacy Division, School of Allied Health, in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. Melinda’s research is aimed at supporting effective lactation through the translation of research to practice. Melinda’s recent research achievements include LactaPedia and LactaMap. LactaPedia launched in August 2018 and is an internationally collaborative glossary of lactation terminology for science and medicine. LactaMap is an online lactation care support system designed to provide evidence-based information to support doctors caring for women and infants experiencing difficulty with lactation. LactaMap launched in March 2019.
Abstract: The development and launch of LactaMap, an online lactation care support system
Breastfeeding is one of the most highly effective preventive measures for the protection of maternal and infant health and contributes to substantial savings in health costs(1). When compared with other major organs such as the heart, brain, liver, lungs, and kidneys there has been far less basic research into the lactating human breast and little translation of the research that is available to support its medical care(2). Australian breastfeeding statistics are roughly reflected in high-income countries around the world and show that women understand the importance of breastfeeding because most (96%) initiate breastfeeding. However, only 15% are exclusively breastfeeding to 5 months of age and the proportion of children breastfed falls to 7% from 19-24 months of age(3). These statistics show that despite choosing to initiate breastfeeding, most women are unable to sustain lactation for minimum recommended durations. Inconsistent advice is a commonly reported factor that contributes to early weaning(1). Integration of evidence-based knowledge (research) with the clinical care process has been shown to reduce variations in treatment and optimise outcomes(4). Clinical practice guidelines are a method commonly used to appraise and deliver scientific evidence to practice(5). To address this gap in the translation of available evidence to practice for human lactation and with the aim of facilitating more consistent clinical treatment, a multidisciplinary team based at The University of Western Australia developed LactaMap. LactaMap is an online lactation care support system designed to deliver clinical practice guidelines and more to doctors and health professionals caring for breastfeeding mothers and their infants. This presentation will provide an overview of LactaMap as well as the methodology behind its development.
(1) Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy: 2019 and beyond. Canberra, Australia: COAG Health Council; 2019.
(2) Boss M, Gardner H, Hartmann P. Normal Human Lactation: closing the gap [version 1; referees: 3 approved]. F1000Research. 2018;7 (F1000 Faculty Rev):801.
(3) AIHW. 2010 Australian national infant feeding survey: indicator results.: Cat. no. PHE 156. Canberra: AIHW. ; 2011.
(4) Lodewijckx C, Decramer M, Sermeus W, Panella M, Deneckere S, Vanhaecht K. Eight-step method to build the clinical content of an evidence-based care pathway: the case for COPD exacerbation. Trials. 2012;13:229.
(5) Institute of medicine (US) committee on standards for developing trustworthy clinical practice guidelines. Clinical practice guidleines we can trust. Washington (DC), US: National Academies Press; 2011.
