Pregnancy and motherhood are undoubtedly two of the most difficult experiences a person can go through in their life. And while both are always challenging, there are unique complications that can make these already tough situations even harder. Take, for example, the case of a 29-year-old woman in Austria who developed an extremely rare condition involving her breasts after giving birth to her second child. This condition caused her to lactate, not from her breasts, but from her vulva. Sounds confusing? Well, imagine how confused the woman herself must have been.
It all began shortly after she gave birth when she started experiencing severe pain on the right side of her vulva. Doctors initially thought it was related to the stitches she had received and suspected an abscess was causing her pain and excessive swelling. However, there was one symptom that didn’t quite fit with their theory: the release of “milky white” fluid from the area.
As it turned out, the woman had experienced similar symptoms after the birth of her first child. An ultrasound revealed that she had breast tissue growing on her vulva. Believe it or not, this is a real condition that can occur, although it is extremely rare. Ectopic breast tissue, also known as accessory breast tissue, refers to breast tissue that develops outside the breasts and can be found in about 6 percent of the population. The term “ectopic” simply means occurring in an abnormal place or position.
According to a report published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, which describes the case of this woman, ectopic breast tissue originates from remnants of the embryonic “milk line” or mammary ridge. All mammals, including humans, develop this ridge as embryos. It is the area where nipples form and where mammary glands and breast tissue develop during puberty. Surprisingly, breast tissue and nipples can develop anywhere along the milk line, which extends from the armpits to the groin on both sides of the body. This is why some individuals may have a third nipple, known as ectopic breast tissue.
Cases like this are rare and often go unnoticed until problems arise, as in the case of the Austrian mother. In her situation, the swelling and pain were caused by a condition called galactostasis, which occurs when milk backs up and causes discomfort. It turned out that the woman’s stitches were covering an “excretory duct,” preventing the milk from flowing properly. Once the sutures were removed, her pain disappeared immediately, and the swelling and milk discharge from the vulva gradually decreased over the following two weeks. For now, she has been able to breastfeed normally, but doctors have mentioned the possibility of removing the ectopic breast tissue in the future, as it can potentially become cancerous.
While asymptomatic ectopic breast tissue does not require standard treatment, surveillance and eventual removal may be necessary due to the risk of developing cancer. The lesson to be learned from this story is to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of the human body and not hesitate to raise concerns with your doctor if any abnormalities are observed.
On a lighter note, let’s take a look at an interesting fact about lactation in animals. Hooded seals have the shortest lactation period of any mammal, nursing their pups for only four days. To ensure that their offspring gain enough weight during this short period, the pups consume an astonishing 45,000 calories per day.