Inside the Lactating Breast: Ultrasound, Adiposity & Milk Production with Dr. Zoya Gridneva

LACTATION EXAM MASTERY COURSE- Stop Guessing How to Study for the IBCLC Exam.

In this episode of Behind the Latch, Margaret interviews Dr. Zoya Gridneva, Research Fellow with the Geddes–Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group. Zoya discusses her research exploring maternal adiposity, glandular tissue distribution, breast anatomy, milk production, puberty timing, parity, and breast development across lactations, using ultrasound imaging to examine the lactating breast in a way few studies have before

Her findings help illuminate why some parents experience low supply despite doing “everything right,” and demonstrate how maternal factors—especially adiposity—may influence glandular tissue development, breast storage capacity, and milk removal efficiency. She also shares emerging tools that may help clinicians screen for lactation risk prenatally and why early identification may matter profoundly for parental experience and outcomes.

🔍 What We Talk About

• How Zoya entered lactation research after her own breastfeeding experience
• Why adiposity is emerging as a central factor in milk production outcomes
• What ultrasound can tell us about ductal branching, glandular volume, and breast storage capacity
• Why more ductal development doesn’t always equal meaningful clinical increase in supply
• The relationship between puberty timing, parity, contraception, adiposity & milk output — what we know and what we don’t
• Why breast size ≠ glandular volume, and why small breasts may produce normal volumes
• The need for better screening for primary low supply and insufficient glandular tissue (IGT)
• A new 5-minute lactation risk screening tool used in Western Australia & its clinical promise
• Why single-feed weights are not enough — and why 24-hour production is more meaningful
• Where research must go next: larger samples, longitudinal data, and early-life glandular development

🧠 Key Takeaways for Clinicians

• Adiposity may influence breast growth, glandular proportion, and storage capacity, mediating supply outcomes.
• Ultrasound can visualize breast structure but requires skill, training, and access — not yet feasible for routine care.
• We may be able to identify high-risk parents prenatally using simple clinical screening tools, improving early intervention timing.
• Puberty, hormonal exposure, and menarche timing could play a significant role in final glandular development — a research area wide open for exploration.
• 24-hour test-weighing is one of the most reliable ways to identify low production early, long before a “weight problem” appears.
• Clinically, risk awareness + early frequent milk removal support may be key for at-risk families.

👩‍🏫 Guest

Dr. Zoya Gridneva, PhD

Maternal Factors, Breast Anatomy & Milk Production — An Ultrasound-Based Look Inside Lactation

Research Fellow, Geddes–Hartmann Human Lactation Research Group

University of Western Australia

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🎙️ Podcast: Behind the Latch

Hosted by: Margaret Salty

Music by: The Magnifiers – My Time Traveling Machine

#BehindTheLatch #BreastfeedingSupport #LactationResearch #OutpatientLactation #IBCLC #PostpartumCare #BreastfeedingEquity #MaternalHealth #LactationPolicy #PublicHealthLactation

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