Mastopathy in a nursing mother symptoms. Why does mastopathy occur during breastfeeding and how to treat it? Breast problems before pregnancy

Benign breast pathologies are found in many women. They respond quite well to treatment and do not become an obstacle to pregnancy, childbearing and childbirth. But young mothers often worry about whether mastopathy is dangerous when breastfeeding and whether it is possible to have a good nutrition for the child.

Features of the disease

Most of the forced visits of the fair sex to a mammologist are caused by unpleasant symptoms of mastopathy.

They arise due to a violation in the structure of the mammary glands of the physiologically natural ratio of epithelial and fibrous tissues. With increased growth of one of them, single or multiple seals, nodules and cysts form in the chest.

Development symptoms pathological process most of the time it's hard to ignore. There are pulling pains in the region of the mammary glands, when palpated, areas differing in density can be detected.

Among the causes of the disease, doctors distinguish:

• violations at work endocrine system;
• fibroids;
• frequent abortion.

The risk group includes women over 30 who have not yet known motherhood by this age, as well as women suffering from painful menstruation.

Experts believe that breastfeeding mothers are much less likely to develop mastopathy. In some cases, breastfeeding becomes even a kind of therapeutic measure.

Impact of pregnancy

The work of the mammary glands is very closely interconnected with the hormonal processes occurring in female body. Therefore, diseases caused by a malfunction of the endocrine organs, in particular mastopathy, can provoke some problems with breastfeeding in the mother of the baby. At the same time, if the pathology manifested itself even before the onset of pregnancy, then significant changes hormonal background that occur during the period of expectation of the child and after his birth, can lead to complete disposal of it.

As effective method treatment after childbirth, experts strongly advise women with benign processes in the mammary glands to breastfeed.

At the same time, this should be done for at least 6 months, and it is even better not to stop the procedure of natural nutrition of the baby until he is one year old. Cases when, against the background of such actions, the manifestations of mastopathy completely disappeared, during medical practice can be found quite often.

The reason is simple: regular full lactation eliminates hormonal imbalances in the female body, and the result of its normalization is the resorption of seals. However, not everything is so rosy, because mothers with changes in the tissues of the mammary glands often face difficulties in establishing a seemingly natural lactation process.

Problems with the organization of full breastfeeding are most common in women

When the patient has a history of surgery, the possibility of natural lactation is determined by the localization of the extracted formation and the success of the procedure. If the intervention did not affect the milk ducts, then the mother will be able to feed the child herself, without the use of artificial mixtures.

If the symptoms of the nodular form of mastopathy were found already during pregnancy, before childbirth it will be necessary to be under the constant supervision of a specialist and carefully monitor the condition of the altered tissues. So you can reduce the risk of degeneration of pathological formations into malignant tumors. But even such a difficult situation does not become a ban on the natural feeding of the baby. On the contrary, it acts as an excellent prevention of the development of the disease.

It will help to establish this process by following simple recommendations:

• try to put the baby to the breast as often as possible;
• in no case do not allow dehydration, drink more fluids;
• do not let milk stagnate;
• having found seals that were not there before, take a warm shower and after it perform pumping from the mammary glands, it is advisable to provide active participation in this procedure to the child.

The development of mastopathy in the lactation period

Unfortunately, the natural feeding of a baby cannot fully protect his mother from the development of fibrocystic pathology of the mammary glands. Her clinical manifestations in this case, they will be similar to the classic symptoms of the disease. But here, if discomfort occurs in the chest, a woman needs to be more careful not to confuse them with signs of other ailments typical of this period - mastitis or lactostasis.

In the absence of rapid progression of the disease, therapeutic measures will consist only in the constant supervision of a specialist.

Doctors rarely prescribe medications during the lactation period. IN special occasions Based on the results of a thorough examination, mini-pills can be prescribed to the mother, the intake of which will not harm the health of the child. It is strictly not recommended to use any pharmacological agents. If severe pain occurs, you should immediately visit a mammologist who will select the correct treatment.

Fibrocystic pathology of the mammary glands is not an obstacle to feeding the baby. But she requires a very attentive attitude from the young mother and constant monitoring of her well-being.

During the lactation period, it is not only possible, but even necessary, to be regularly shown to a specialist. A professional will detect the progression of the disease in time, help to stop it and preserve the possibility of natural feeding.

Mastopathy is one of the most common diseases of the breast. During this disease, benign changes occur in the tissues of the gland, but with advanced disease, the tumor can develop into a malignant one. Mastopathy during breastfeeding appears more often in cases of hormonal failure.

The work of the mammary glands is often associated with changes in the hormonal background, so women of any age can be affected by the development of mastopathy.

Symptoms of mastopathy

Symptoms of this disease can be different and depend on the hormonal background, the type of mastopathy and concomitant diseases. This disease may not bother a woman at all for some time.

Symptoms may include:

— Blunt pain in the breast (usually before menstruation);

- sensations of increased density or lumps;

- Breast augmentation (due to tissue swelling);

- increase lymph nodes;

- change appearance nipple (retraction or cracks);

- white, gray discharge, sometimes bloody (in the most advanced cases).

Causes of the disease

This disease in nulliparous women may appear during breastfeeding. In other women, it appears regardless of childbirth and feeding.

There are many reasons for this disease. If it appeared during feeding, then this is due to the appearance of microcracks on the nipples and lactostasis. During feeding, the breast should be emptied completely, if the baby does not drink all the milk, then the woman should express herself. If milk constantly remains, then stagnation occurs and a disease appears - lactostasis, and then mastopathy. Another reason why microcracks appear on the nipples is the incorrect attachment of the baby to the breast. Rules for attaching a child:

1. During feeding, the child should lie with his stomach to his mother, and face to his chest.
2. His head must move freely so he can adjust the position of the nipple in his mouth.
3. It should completely capture both the nipple and the areola.
4. His nose should be pressed against his chest, but not buried in it, his chin should also be tightly pressed.
5. There should not be any extraneous sounds during feeding from the side of the child, only the sound of swallowing milk.
6. Mom should not have any discomfort.

Another common cause of mastopathy can be gynecological diseases. The condition of a woman's breasts depends on the work of the entire reproductive system as a whole. Therefore, irregular sex life or its absence, childbirth after 40 years, menstrual irregularities, refusal to breastfeed - all this can provoke the appearance of seals.

Also, the mammary glands of a woman are associated with the endocrine system, so some changes or diseases, for example, iodine deficiency, can also provoke the appearance of mastopathy. When this disease occurs, you must first find out the cause of its occurrence.

The difference between mastitis and mastopathy

Many women confuse two diseases - mastitis and mastopathy. They have almost the same symptoms, but the two diseases are treated differently.

Mastitis is infection due to infection in the milk. Mastopathy is a change in the glandular structure of the breast.

Is it possible to breastfeed with mastopathy and mastitis? Consider and compare these two diseases.

The causative agent of mastitis is Staphylococcus epidermidis, which lives on human skin. A woman has pain in the mammary glands and the temperature rises to 39C. If at the same time, there are no seals in the chest, then this is superficial mastitis. In this case, you can feed the baby from the other breast. In parallel, you need to express milk from a diseased mammary gland, but it is strictly forbidden to feed a child with this milk, because. he can get an infection.

If, in addition to the temperature, seals appeared in the mammary gland (acute stage of mastitis), then it is no longer possible to breastfeed, the child should be transferred to artificial feeding until the mother has completely recovered. With purulent mastitis, the abscess opens surgical method warming bandages are prescribed.

With a serous form of mastitis, breastfeeding is allowed. In this case, if the child has not drunk all the milk, then it must be expressed and the more you feed the child, the faster lactostasis can be cured, and there will be less chance for development. purulent mastitis. Many women notice a decrease in pain with frequent feeding, and for some, the symptoms of mastitis disappear after a while forever.

Fibrocystic mastopathy can be of two types - diffuse and nodular.

Diffuse is divided into:

• cystic;
• fibrous;
• mixed;
• sclerosing adenosis.

With nodular mastopathy, nodules appear in size from a pea to a walnut. With large knots, pain can be given to the shoulder and arm.

Treatment depends on the form of mastopathy. In the most difficult cases, one has to resort to surgical intervention, but basically the disease is treated. medications. A timely visit to the doctor and the started treatment, preventive examinations by a mammologist will help to avoid the serious consequences of the disease.

Lactation during fibrocystic mastopathy

During lactation, the hormonal balance in a woman's body normalizes, all seals and nodules disappear. Experts say that with frequent feeding, the disease can be cured naturally. If a woman was diagnosed before the birth of a child or a tumor was surgically removed, then lactation will be difficult to establish. Hormonal changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause lumps. If the tumor was removed before the birth, then the amount of milk will directly depend on where exactly the seals were and how successful the operation was. If the milk ducts have not been broken, then breastfeeding will be possible.

If a nursing woman was diagnosed during pregnancy, then for the sake of her health and the health of the baby, she should regularly visit a doctor and be observed so that the tumor does not develop into a malignant one. At this time, breastfeeding with mastopathy is not contraindicated.

Unfortunately, there are sometimes cases when mastopathy develops even more during lactation. Then the doctor prescribes medication.

Treatment of mastopathy

Mastopathy during feeding is not treated with medicines, because. it could harm the baby. Only in exceptional cases, with a complete examination of the mother, non-combined mini-pill tablets are prescribed. This is the only drug that can be taken during lactation without harm to the baby.

To improve liver function, vitamins A, C, B1 and B6 are used in treatment (it is the liver that regulates the amount of estrogen in the body). Potassium iodide electrophoresis is also prescribed (iodine deficiency is one of the causes of the disease) and novocaine-oxygen therapy. In order to replenish the body with iodine, it is very effective to use fish, seafood, sea kale in the diet. Iodine accumulates in the mammary gland and suppresses various tumor-like processes.

If the mother has severe chest pain, then you should consult a doctor for pain medication. It is forbidden to self-medicate, because. uncontrolled medication can harm the baby.

During treatment, it is recommended to follow a diet: do not drink chocolate, coffee or very strong tea. Experts have proven that some foods affect hormonal balance. It is useful to eat sea fish and vegetables (cabbage, tomatoes, broccoli).

Thus, feeding a child during mastopathy is not prohibited. For timely treatment you need to undergo preventive examinations with a doctor.

Mastopathy is a disease in which benign neoplasms form in the breast. The reason for their appearance is an imbalance of hormones.
Mastopathy during breastfeeding causes pain and inconvenience. How to determine the disease, whether it is possible to continue feeding, what prevention to carry out, and how to be treated.

Types of disease

Mastopathy is one of the most common diseases of the mammary glands in women. It affects both older ladies and young girls. But especially often it appears after the birth of a child.

There are 2 types of mastopathy:

• diffuse;
• nodal.

diffuse

Covers the entire mammary gland. May precede the second type of disease - nodular mastopathy.

This form can be identified by the following manifestations:

• pain;
• the appearance of seals;
• puffiness;
• excessive sensitivity of the breast;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• the presence of discharge from the nipples.

The diffuse form, in turn, has 3 varieties: fibrous, fibrocystic, cystic.

At fibrous mastopathy there are changes in connective tissue mammary gland.

Fibrocystic is a mixed type of disease when cysts appear in the chest and at the same time there is an increase in connective tissue.

With a cystic form in the chest appear cystic formations. These are small seals that contain liquid.

nodal

It is expressed in violation of the connection of tissues in the chest, the appearance of nodular neoplasms. They do not connect with other tissues in any way, they have even and regular borders.

This form is considered the most dangerous, therefore, it requires mandatory treatment.

Symptoms:

• the presence of seals with clear contours;
• pain when probing these seals (it can be dull or aching);
• breast enlargement (due to swelling);
• the presence of clear, white or yellow discharge.

Why does mastopathy appear

There are many reasons for the appearance of this disease. The main ones are:

abortion. After conception, the process of rebuilding hormones begins in the body. After the surgical termination of pregnancy, the body is again dramatically rebuilt. This is dangerous both for certain organs and for the health of the whole body.

Violations in the work of the endocrine system. The disease can be caused by the slightest disruption in its work, since the chest is directly related to this system.

A number of gynecological diseases and inferior sex life. How healthy the mammary glands will be depends on the proper functioning of the reproductive system. Diseases, absence or irregularity sexual relations may cause lumps in the chest.

Unstable menstrual cycle, first pregnancy at an older age, too early weaning of the baby from the breast. These reasons also increase the risk of developing mastopathy.

lactation period. The disease can be provoked even by small changes in the mode of attachment of the baby, psycho-emotional overstrain, weakening of the body after pregnancy and childbirth, non-observance of simple rules of hygiene (in the presence of damage to the nipples), milk stagnation.

Malfunction of the liver. This organ is responsible for the breakdown and excretion of hormones from the body. If the liver does not perform this function, the body becomes too much of the hormone estrogen, which can cause disease.

Stress, nervous shocks, lack of sleep, unstable regime also do not contribute to the health of the mammary glands.

In addition, the disease can be caused by: bad ecology, heredity, uncomfortable bra, chest injuries.

Treatment of the disease during lactation

For many who developed the disease before pregnancy, conception and further feeding of the child becomes a way of treatment.

So it is possible and necessary to breastfeed a baby with mastopathy. The longer the better. When feeding for at least 6 months, neoplasms in the breast disappear.

Long-term feeding also reduces the risk of recurrence of the disease.

It is important not to self-medicate, but to seek advice from a mammologist.

As a rule, doctors prescribe vitamins that improve liver function. These are vitamins A, B1, B6, C. Also, safe pills are selected for nursing mothers.

And when severe pain a specialist may prescribe pain medication.

Prevention

Another way to prevent mastitis, and then mastopathy - more often.

Before feeding, it is useful to carry out a light breast massage.

It is also very important to take good care of your breasts. Do not overcool, do not injure the nipples and the entire breast.

The right choice of underwear is important. The bra should be soft to avoid irritating the nipples. It should not squeeze the chest.

The mother should monitor the correctness and balance of nutrition, avoid stress, monitor her weight, protect her skin from direct sunlight.

To determine the disease at an early stage, you should regularly conduct self-diagnosis.

How to conduct a self-examination

The best time for diagnosis is 5-6 days from the start of menstruation. The examination is carried out carefully and without haste.

You should start with a visual inspection in front of the mirror. You need to raise your hands up and carefully examine the contour of the nipples and the entire chest. They should be of normal shape without depressions.

Then you should alternately pull each nipple slightly to check for the presence or absence of discharge.

Then you should lie on your back and feel each breast. It is mentally divided into 4 parts (lower, upper, side). Each of them must be carefully and carefully probed to make sure that there are no neoplasms.

If there are any suspicions, it is worth visiting a mammologist in the near future.

Mastopathy is an unpleasant disease that often occurs after childbirth. It is worth paying attention to preventive measures in order to eliminate most of the risks.

Such an ailment is not a reason to stop feeding. Prolonged lactation, on the contrary, promotes healing.

Mastopathy is called various benign neoplasms in the breast, which have arisen on the basis of hormonal imbalance. They cause pain and a lot of inconvenience, the treatment is long and does not always lead to complete resorption of seals and cysts.

Patients are especially concerned about the possibility of degeneration of tumors, as well as how they will behave during pregnancy, whether they will give the opportunity to give birth and breastfeed normally. To understand whether it is worth fearing the onset of pregnancy, you need to study the nature of the occurrence of tumors and how the body changes after the conception of a child. In the article we will talk about mastopathy during lactation, features and what is the role of feeding in the treatment and prevention of the disease.

During the normal course of pregnancy, the level of hormones gradually returns to normal.

Mastopathy, which has arisen against the background of a sharp estrogen-progesterone imbalance, can completely disappear, more often its symptoms practically disappear.

But not breastfeeding after childbirth can bring the disease back.. A sharp hormonal release is aimed at the development of the mammary glands and the formation of milk.

In the absence of a natural outflow, not only benign neoplasms are possible, but also inflammation of the milk ducts, complicated by pain, temperature, and purulent discharge.

Often the place of chronic mastopathy is occupied by acute mastitis, which requires immediate medical intervention.

With the normal development of pregnancy and childbirth, it is recommended to attach the baby to the breast immediately after it is born. At this time, a special valuable colostrum is formed in the mammary gland, rich in nutrients and protective antibodies necessary for the formation of the baby's immunity.

The first attachments to the breast are also important for the mother. They help to avoid fluid stagnation, the milk ducts begin to function gradually, and feeding is painless.

During feeding, the level of estrogen drops to normal, but the amount of progesterone, which is responsible for the functioning of the mammary gland, increases.

The body produces natural prolactin, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the entire reproductive system women.

Feeding prevents the formation of not only benign, but also malignant tumors. It is believed that it is the lack of breastfeeding that can become a factor for the emergence of cancer cells in the mammary gland.

The optimal feeding regimen is from 6 to 12 months. The minimum necessary for the health of mother and baby is 3 months after birth.

Too long feeding can provoke a new development of tumors, while the formation of cancer cells is not excluded.

Do not resort to artificial stimulation of milk production. Herbal preparations, heavy drinking, full-fat milk and cream can adversely affect digestive system the infant and cause edema in the mother.

You should not overload the body of a woman, already under stress after carrying a baby and giving birth.

After childbirth, breastfeeding should be established as soon as possible.

The first application is recommended immediately after birth. At this time, little colostrum is produced, but even these drops are very valuable. It has been noticed that early application stimulates the activity of the milk ducts, avoids swelling, fever and other unpleasant symptoms.

Important for good nutrition:

1. Arrange feeding schedule. Breastfeeding at certain hours will help stimulate normal milk production and avoid stagnation.
2. Express remaining milk after each feed.
3. Be sure to wash the chest with warm water, and then drain it. soft towel. This will help to avoid painful nipple cracks.
4. Observe a reasonable drinking regimen. You should not drink too much, with mastopathy, fluid retention in the tissues is possible.

In the intervals between feedings, you can use any external means to reduce swelling and pain symptoms. With a rush of milk, even an absolutely healthy breast can swell and hurt.

Compresses from fresh leaves of white cabbage, burdock, plantain or coltsfoot will help remove unpleasant symptoms.

Applications of honey and rye flour work well.

You should not use alcohol tinctures, as well as preparations based on alkaloids: aconite, belladonna, hemlock, celandine.

If mastopathy occurs when feeding a child, does this threaten the health of the baby?

There are practically no contraindications to GV with mastopathy.

The only problem may be discharge from the nipples mixed with pus or blood.

They do not harm the health of a woman, but they can adversely affect the baby..

You also need to remember that after feeding, mastopathy can be treated.

Pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding are very useful for diagnosed mastopathy.

Mastopathy and breastfeeding are interconnected. Feeding a baby for 6-12 months will not only help remove existing fibroids and cysts, but also prevent their appearance.

And how to feed with mastopathy, for a long time? In this situation, at least six months, and ideally a whole year.

Proper breastfeeding will help to avoid more serious diseases associated with malignant tumors in the mammary gland, ovaries, and uterus.

You can find additional information on this topic in the section.

Mastopathy during breastfeeding is a disease characterized by the formation of benign neoplasms in the mammary gland as a result of changes in the hormonal background.

Cysts and seals in the tissues of the breast cause concern, cause pain, discomfort. Concerns expectant and nursing mothers possible risk malignancy of tumors.

Symptoms

They do not always appear, especially on initial stages. In general, the manifestations of the disease are different, depending on the degree of hormonal imbalance and the individual characteristics of the organism.

Manifestations fibrocystic mastopathy may be as follows:

• , aggravated before and during menstruation;
• an increase in the size of the mammary glands due to tissue swelling;
• tightness in the chest to the touch;
• changes in the appearance of the breast (many are interested in what mastopathy looks like with breastfeeding, this can change the shape of the gland, retraction of the nipple or the appearance of cracks);
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• discharge from the nipples - gray, white, bloody with advanced forms of the disease.

Changes in the body during pregnancy

The main cause of mastopathy is a change in the hormonal background and an increase in the synthesis of estrogen with an insufficient amount of progesterone. Due to an imbalance, changes occur in the connective and glandular tissues of the breast, cysts, seals and cavities with liquid contents are formed in their thickness.

Existing types of mastopathy:

• cystic;
• diffuse or.

Treatment of mastopathy involves bringing the amount of estrogen back to normal, for which the patient is prescribed hormone therapy.

What happens in a woman's body during pregnancy? First of all, a significant change in hormonal levels. The amount of estrogen begins to increase rapidly, which additionally begins to synthesize the placenta.

In some cases, mastopathy occurs as a result of the release of a large amount of estrogen after conception, the breast becomes sharply painful, seals are felt.

Next, progesterone begins to be produced, which is necessary for the normal bearing of the fetus, which can normalize the ratio of hormones. In case of insufficiency of progesterone, a woman is prescribed hormonal therapy.

The normal course of pregnancy leads to the normalization of the estrogen-progesterone balance in the body, as a result of which the symptoms of mastopathy gradually disappear, and the pathology itself can completely disappear.

Then it all depends on breastfeeding. After childbirth, a hormonal surge occurs in the body again, now necessary for the production of milk. It is important to prevent lactostasis and stagnation of milk, so the newborn is immediately applied to the breast.

With breastfeeding, estrogen levels decrease, progesterone rises, and prolactin synthesis increases. To avoid mastopathy and other problems with the mammary gland, it is important to feed the baby for at least 3 months. This will prevent the development of new tumors, their transformation into a cancerous form.

In nulliparous women, mastopathy can develop for the first time during lactation. Reasons for this:

• microcracks on the nipples;
• improper attachment of the child to the breast;
• incomplete emptying of the breast from milk;
• stagnant processes in the gland and lactostasis.

You can prevent the development of the disease by completely emptying the chest. Even if the baby does not suck out all the milk, it is recommended to express it.

Treatment

What to do and how to treat mastopathy with hepatitis B? The drug is harmful to the baby. The only harmless drug is non-combined hormonal pills Mini-drank. The medicine can only be used as directed by a doctor after a complete examination.

Therapy of mastopathy during breastfeeding includes taking vitamins. The liver is responsible for removing excess estrogen from the body, so vitamins are needed to improve its work - B1 and B6, A, C.

With a strong pain syndrome painkillers may be prescribed.

Self-medication during lactation is unacceptable, as it can harm the health of the child. All medications are or must be prescribed by a doctor.

You can avoid the appearance of mastopathy during the period of feeding the baby by observing the following recommendations:

• Start breastfeeding immediately after the baby is born. For this, the baby is applied to the breast immediately after childbirth, which allows you to stimulate the work of the ducts, eliminates swelling.
• Feeding mode. Attaching the baby to the breast at the same hours helps prevent the development of stagnation and stimulates good output milk.
• Pumping. If the baby does not suck out all the milk, be sure to express the rest.
• Hygiene. You can avoid nipple cracks by washing the mammary glands with warm water and wiping soft cloth dry.
• Drinking mode. During lactation, a woman's body is prone to retaining fluids in tissues, the glandular tissue of the breast is no exception. Therefore, you should not drink a lot of water and other drinks.

Pain and swelling of the breast during breastfeeding is possible with a rush of milk, which is a natural process.

You can get rid of unpleasant symptoms and discomfort with the help of traditional medicine:

• A compress on the mammary glands from cabbage, plantain, coltsfoot, burdock.
• Applications from rye flour and honey.

The use of alcohol tinctures and preparations based on alcohol is unacceptable.

If mastopathy has developed during breastfeeding, is it dangerous for the child? There are no contraindications to feeding, on the contrary, a well-established regimen of breastfeeding makes it possible to improve well-being.

The problem can only be the discharge of blood or pus from the nipples, which can adversely affect the baby. In this case, you need to consult your doctor.

On the video about the treatment of mastopathy during lactation

What is prohibited?

In the presence of mastopathy, especially during lactation, there are a number of prohibitions for a woman:

• Breast massage. Sometimes contraindicated in case of illness, but necessary when decanting. Pumping without massaging movements is recommended, it is more difficult, but safer. Otherwise, massaging the glands will contribute to the progression of the tumor.
• Diet. It is necessary to refuse products that contain the substance methylxanthine, the development of mastopathy is provoked. These are coffee, cocoa, black tea, cola, chocolate. Cakes and pastries containing chocolate should also be excluded from the diet.
• Sunburn and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Harmful both with HB and in the presence of pathology. Sunburn is prohibited even after cured or operated mastopathy, as it contributes to the recurrence of the disease.
• Physiotherapy. Any warm influence on the chest, hot compresses or dry heat is prohibited.

Mastopathy during breastfeeding is not a rare occurrence. Pathology can be both before childbirth, and for the first time appear with the onset of pregnancy or lactation. Long-term breastfeeding from 3 months in duration will allow preventing the development of the disease or removing existing seals, cysts, fibromas, ideally it is better to feed the baby up to a year. Well-established HB will also prevent the development of other diseases of the reproductive system.