Abstract

Background: The presence of blood in breast milk gives it a rusty or brownish color, which is referred to as "Rusty Pipe Syndrome (RPS)". Objective: This study presents case reports to raise awareness about RPS and examine differences from existing literature. Methods: Data from six cases with confirmed RPS were collected from Rea Maternity Hospital in Athens, Greece and Alexandroupolis General University Hospital in Alexandroupolis, Greece, from March 2020 until July 2024. Results: Six women aged 25 to 36, experienced RPS during breastfeeding. The majority of them had no previous birth history (83%), were primigravida (83%) and had bilateral presence of blood in the milk (67%), with symptoms appeared on the second postpartum day (50%). Conclusion: Based on extensive studies and literature reviews, RPS is generally considered a benign condition, typically presenting bilaterally. However, unilateral cases, such as those observed in our study, are rare.

Key words: Rusty Pipe Syndrome, Breastfeeding, Postpartum Period, Case Reports.