Does breastfeeding really reduce the risk of breast cancer?

It is undeniable that breastfeeding brings a lot of benefits to mothers such as weight loss, less colds ... But besides, many mothers still wonder "are breastfeeding breast cancer?" Please follow the article below to see the answers from leading doctors.

Explore the link between breastfeeding and breast cancer

Are you breastfeeding breast cancer? There are no studies to give specific conclusions. In which, there are 4 notable studies.

A study published in The Lancet in 2002 with 150,000 women showed that every 12 months of breastfeeding , the risk of breast cancer decreased by 4.3% compared to women who did not breastfeed. In 2009, a study of more than 60,000 women published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women with a family history of breast cancer had a nearly 60% lower risk of pre-menopause if they did. Breastfeeding.

Breast cancer and breastfeeding are closely linked

There is also a study published in 2014 by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute: Women of African descent have a high risk of developing different types of breast cancer and are difficult to treat. The risk of breast cancer is increased when these women are not breastfeeding.

A final international collaboration of nearly 37,000 breast cancer cases published in the Annals of Oncology in October 2015 was a 20% reduction in the risk of developing breast cancer if breastfeeding.

Alison Stuebe, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, said: “It seems that there is growing evidence that breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of Types of breast cancers ”.

So are you really breastfeeding with breast cancer?

Some of the studies above are based on theory and have not been proven. Specifically, a lactating woman has less than normal menstrual cycles. Accordingly, they have low levels of the hormone estrogen. High levels of estrogen have been shown to be a factor in some breast cancers.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer

There is another theory that breastfeeding can help breast cells fight cancer-causing mutations. In addition, lactating women tend to quit smoking and drinking alcohol. They also eat healthier food and a more scientific lifestyle. These changes will reduce the risk of breast cancer. So does a breastfeeding mother have breast cancer? The chance of a mother having breast cancer is still present but a lower rate is not to breastfeed.

How long should I breastfeed to reduce my risk of breast cancer?

There are no exact conclusions about how long to breastfeed. But research The Lancet has advised, breastfeeding for as long as possible. Even when formula feeding and baby only very little breastmilk ..

Dr. Stuebe encourages mothers in the same nursing room to breastfeed for at least 1 year. As AAP recommends, breast-feeding when both mother and baby can.

You should breastfeed for at least a year to prevent breast cancer

So what about women who are not breastfeeding?

"I don't want to send the message that you'll get breast cancer if you don't breastfeed." Dr. Stuebe explains that is not true. The only way to help reduce the risk of cancer is through healthy living habits. A 2008 report published by the National Institutes of Health: “Only 5-10% of cancer cases are hereditary. The remaining 90-95% is due to the environment and lifestyle.

Some daily habits that can increase the risk of cancer include smoking, eating fatty fried foods, drinking alcohol, and lazy exercise. Therefore, breastfeeding is not the only way to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Through the information above, mothers were able to answer the question "are breast cancer?" But also do not be too worried when you can not breastfeed.

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Breast cancer in women - Outstanding features to look out for

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