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The Faculty
The University
 
 
 
 
 
Dr Lisa Amir
MBBS (Monash), MMed (Melb), PhD (La Trobe), IBCLC, FABM
Associate Professor
 
Email: l.amir@latrobe.edu.au
Telephone: +61 3 8341 8577
 
Lisa Amir is a medical practitioner with a long-standing interest in women's health. Having qualified as a lactation consultant in 1989, Lisa continues to work in breastfeeding medicine at the Royal Women's Hospital and as a private practitioner at Medical One at QV in the city. She is conducting research in the area of breastfeeding – from rates and determinants of breastfeeding, to nipple and breast pain in breastfeeding women, to GPs’ knowledge and attitudes towards the use of medicines for breastfeeding women. Lisa is Editor-in-Chief of the online journal, International Breastfeeding Journal. Website: www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com
   
MAJOR RESEARCH INTERESTS      Breastfeeding, women’s health
   
CURRENT PROJECTS      
The role of micro-organisms (S. aureus & C. albicans) in the pathogenesis of breast pain and infection in lactating women (CASTLE Study)
Team: Lisa Amir and Méabh Cullinane; in collaboration with Suzanne Garland and Sepehr Tabrizi, Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology, University of Melbourne; Susan Donath, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute; and Catherine Bennett, Deakin University
Funding: NHMRC Health Professional Research Fellowship 2006–2010 (LA); NHMRC project grant 2009–2010; NHMRC equipment grant 2009–2010
Status: Recruiting completed September 2011; Protocol published; analysis underway
   
 
Supporting breastfeeding In Local Communities (SILC project)
Team: Helen McLachlan, Della Forster, Lisa Amir, Rhonda Small, Méabh Cullinane and Touran Shafiei
Funding: Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2011–2014
Status: Ethics approvals obtained, project in progress
   
 

MILC (Mothers' and Infants' Lactation Cohort): a multi-site study

Team: Della Forster, Lisa Amir, Helen McLachlan and Helene Johns (PhD candidate); in collaboration with Anita Moorhead and Rachael Ford, Royal Women's Hospital; Kerri McEgan, Mercy Hospital for Women; Chris Scott, Frances Perry House; and Kinga Pemo, Division of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University
Funding: La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences Research Grant
Status: Two of three components completed and papers from first two components in preparation; minor thesis completed (KP); cohort study: recruitment and data collection complete, data entry and analysis underway
   
 

Diabetes and antenatal milk expressing (DAME): a randomised controlled trial

Team: Della Forster, Lisa Amir and Anita Moorhead, in collaboration with Susan Jacobs and Peter Davis, Royal Women's Hospital; Susan Walker, Kerri McEgan and Gillian Opie, Mercy Hospital for Women;associate investigators Susan Donath, Royal Children's Hospital, Rachael Ford, Royal Women's Hospital, Catherine McNamaraMercy Hospital for Women and Amanda Aylward, Royal Women's Hospital
Funding: NHMRC Project Grant (2011-2014)
Status: Recruitment underway
   
 
Obesity and perinatal health: How do obese women interpret the evidence? A qualitative study exploring obese women's understandings of the medical evidence and increased risks that their obesity poses to the perinatal period
Team: Karalyn McDonald and Lisa Amir
Funding: La Trobe University Faculty of Health Sciences Research Grants
Status: Ethics approval being sought; interviews to commence in 2012
   
PUBLICATIONS (Selected)
 

Amir LH, Donath SM. Maternal diet and breastfeeding: A case for rethinking physiological explanations for breastfeeding determinants. Early Hum Dev (in press); Epub 2011, Nov 25 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378378211003409

Amir LH, Cullinane M, Garland SM, Tabrizi SN, Donath SM, Bennett CM, Cooklin AR, Fisher JRW, Payne MS. The role of micro-organisms (Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans) in the pathogenesis of breast pain and infection in lactating women: study protocol. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2011; 11:54.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/11/54

Amir LH, Pirotta MV, Raval M. Breastfeeding--Evidence-based guidelines for use of medicines by breastfeeding women. Aust Fam Physician; 2011; 40(9):684–90.
http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/201109/44172

Amir LH, James JP, Kelso G, Moorhead AM. Accreditation of midwife lactation consultants to perform infant tongue-tie release. Int J Nurs Pract. 2011;17(6):541-7. 
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-172X.2011.01969.x/full

Hobbs MK, Taft AJ, Amir LH, Stewart K, Shelley JM, Smith AM, Chapman CB, Hussainy SY. Pharmacy access to the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP): a national survey of a random sample of Australian women. Contraception 2011; 83: 151-58.
http://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(10)00356-2/abstract

Hussainy SY, Stewart K, Chapman CB, Taft AJ, Amir LH, Hobbs MK, Shelley JM, Smith AM. Provision of the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) without prescription: attitudes and practices of pharmacists in Australia. Contraception 2011; 83: 159-66.
http://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(10)00398-7/abstract

McDonald K, Amir LH, Davey M-A. Maternal bodies and medicines: a commentary on risk and decision-making of pregnant and breastfeeding women and health professionals. BMC Public Health 2011; 11(Suppl 5): S5.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/S5/S5

Moorhead AM, Amir LH, O'Brien PW, Wong S. A prospective study of fluconazole treatment for breast and nipple thrush. Breastfeed Rev 2011;19(3):25-9.

Jayawickrama HJ, Amir LH, Pirotta MV. GPs' decision-making when prescribing medicines for breastfeeding women: Content analysis of a survey. BMC Research Notes 2010; 3: 82.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/3/82

Clemons SN, Amir LH. Breastfeeding women's experience of expressing: A descriptive study. J Hum Lact 2010; 26(3): 258-65.
http://jhl.sagepub.com/content/26/3/258.abstract

Hobbs M, Taft A, Amir LH. The emergency contraceptive pill rescheduled: a focus group study of women's knowledge, attitudes and experiences. J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care 2009; 35(2): 87-91.
http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/35/2/87.short

Amir LH, Donath SM. Socioeconomic status and rates of breastfeeding in Australia: evidence from three recent national health surveys. Med J Aust, 2008;189(5):254-56.
https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2008/189/5/socioeconomic-status-and-rates-breastfeeding-australia-evidence-three-recent

Donath SM, Amir LH. Maternal obesity and initiation and duration of breastfeeding: data from the longitudinal study of Australian children. Matern Child Nutr 2008;4(3):163-70.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2008.00134.x/full

Cooklin AR, Donath SM, Amir LH. Maternal employment and breastfeeding: results from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Acta Paediatr, 2008;97(5):620-23.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00740.x/full

Donath SM, Amir LH. The effect of gestation on initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2008;93:F448-F450
http://fn.bmj.com/content/93/6/F448.abstract?ct=ct

Chin LY, Amir LH. Survey of patient satisfaction with the Breastfeeding Education and Support Services of The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. BMC Health Serv Res, 2008;8:83.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/8/83

Amir LH, Forster DA, Lumley J, McLachlan H. A descriptive study of mastitis in Australian breastfeeding women: incidence and determinants BMC Public Health 2007; 7:62.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/7/62

Amir LH, Donath S. A systematic review of maternal obesity and breastfeeding intention, initiation and duration. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2007;7:9.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/7/9

Amir LH, Lumley J. Women's experience of lactational mastitis – 'I have never felt worse'. Aust Fam Physician, 2006;35(9):745-47.
http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200609/11037

Amir LH. Breastfeeding: managing 'supply' difficulties. Aust Fam Physician 2006;35(9):686-89.
http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200609/11012

Amir LH, Garland SM, Lumley J. A case-control study of mastitis: nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus. BMC Fam Pract, 2006;7:57.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/7/57

Amir LH, James JP, Donath SM. Reliability of the Hazelbaker Assessment Tool for lingual frenulum function. Int Breastfeed J, 2006;1:3.
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/1/1/3

Syahlul, DE, Amir LH. Do Indonesian medical practitioners approve the availability of emergency contraception over-the-counter? A survey of general practitioners and obstetricians in Jakarta. BMC Women's Health, 2005;5:3. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6874/5/3

Amir LH, Forster D, McLachlan H, Lumley J. Incidence of breast abscess in lactating women: Report from an Australian cohort. BJOG, 2004;111(12):1378-81.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00272.x/abstract

Donath SM, Amir LH, ALSPAC Study Team. The relationship between maternal smoking and breastfeeding duration after adjustment for maternal infant feeding intention. Acta Paediatr, 2004;93(11):1514-18.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb02639.x/abstract

Amir LH, Lumley J, Garland S. A failed RCT to determine if antibiotics prevent mastitis: Cracked nipples colonized with Staphylococcus aureus: A randomized treatment trial [ISRCTN65289389]. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2004;4:19.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/4/19

Amir LH. Breast pain in lactating women – mastitis or something else? Aust Fam Physician, 2003;32(3):141-45. (Invited article)
http://www.racgp.org.au/afp/200303/28966

Editorials, Letters, Reviews

Amir L. Health Promotion in Medical Education: from rhetoric to action [Book Review]. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2011;35(1):96-7. 
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00676.x/full

Forster DA, Moorhead A, Jacobs S, Amir LH, Walker S, McEgan K, Opie G, McNamara C, Ford R. Is not testing a major change in clinical practice an ethical dilemma? Midwifery [Invited Letter]. 2011;27(6):e301-e2. 
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.03.003

Taft AJ, Hobbs MK, Hussainy SY, Amir LH, Stewart K, Smith AM, Shelley JM, Chapman CB. Unintended pregnancy in Australia: what more can we do? Med J Aust, 2011;195(4):166-7 (Editorial).
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/195_04_150811/taf10270_fm.html

Amir LH. Social theory and breastfeeding. Int Breastfeed J, 2011: 6:7 (Editorial).
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/content/6/1/7

Amir LH, Pirotta MV. Medicines for breastfeeding women: a postal survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices of general practitioners in Victoria. Med J Aust 2009; 191(2):126 (Letter).
https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2009/191/2/medicines-breastfeeding-women-postal-survey-general-practitioners-victoria

Amir LH, Ingram J. Health professionals' advice for breastfeeding problems: Not good enough! Int Breastfeed J, 2008;3:22 (Editorial).
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/1746-4358/3/22

Panjaitan M, Amir LH, Costa A-M, Rudland E, Tabrizi S. PCR in detection of Candida albicans for confirmation of clinical diagnosis of nipple thrush. Breastfeed Med, 2008;3(3):185-87 (Letter).
http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/bfm.2008.0106

Amir LH. Medicines and breastfeeding: information is available on safe use (Letter). Med J Aust, 2007; 186(9):485. (Correction published 2007, 186 (11): 606).
https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2007/186/11/medicines-and-breastfeeding-information-available-safe-use

Beasley A, Amir LH. Infant feeding, poverty and human development. Int Breastfeed J, 2007;2:14 (Editorial).
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/1746-4358/2/14

Beasley A, Amir LH. Policy on infant formula industry funding, support or sponsorship of articles submitted for publication. Int Breastfeed J, 2007;2:5 (Editorial).
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/1746-4358/2/5

Amir LH. International Breastfeeding Journal: Introducing a new journal. Int Breastfeed J 2006;1:1 (Editorial).
http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjournal.com/1746-4358/1/1

Book sections and other publications

Sulaiman Z, Amir LH, Liamputtong P. Infant feeding practices: Rates, risks of not breastfeeding and factors influencing breastfeeding. In: Narvaez D, Panksepp J, Schore A, Gleason T, editors. Human Nature, Early Experience and the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness. New York: Oxford University Press; (in press).

Amir LH. Medicines for breastfeeding women: risky business? (Book chapter). Nueland WG (Ed). Breastfeeding: Methods, Benefits to the Infant and Mother and Difficulties. Hauppauga, NY; Nova Publishers, 2010: 129-41.
Open access: https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=15585

Cooklin AR, Donath SM, Amir LH. Breastfeeding and maternal employment: Current Australian evidence and future interventions (Book chapter). Nueland WG (Ed). Breastfeeding: Methods, Benefits to the Infant and Mother and Difficulties. Hauppauga, NY; Nova Publishers, 2010: 143-53.

Amir LH, Livingstone VH. Management of common lactation and breastfeeding problems (Book chapter). Management of Breast Diseases. Jatoi I, Kaufmann M (Eds). Heidelberg; Springer, 2010: 77-103.

Jayawickrama H, Amir L, Moorhead A. Bacteria in powdered infant formula: New guidelines for preparation and use to reduce risk of infection. Hot Topic, Lactation Resource Centre, March 2009.

Amir LH, Clements F, Walsh A. Breastfeeding. Check program, September 2007.

Amir L. Lactation and feeding, and Breastfeeding difficulties. In: Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health. O'Connor V, Kovacs G, (eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003: 302-305, 379-381.

Reports

Amir LH, Forster DA, McLachlan HL, Moorhead AM, Chamberlain CR, McKay HJ. Breastfeeding in Victoria: A Report. July 2010.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/healthwellbeing/childyouth/breastfeeding/default.htm

Amir LH, Pirotta MV. Medicines for breastfeeding women: a postal survey of knowledge, attitudes and practices of general practitioners in Victoria, Australia. Mother & Child Health Research, August 2010.
Download Report

 
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Content Approved by: Director, Mother and Child Health Research
Page maintained by: Administrator
Last Updated: May 23, 2012