Breastfeeding reduces threat of breast cancer

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Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
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Article Date: 15 Aug 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Breastfeeding reduces threat of breast cancer

Women who breastfeed for over 6 months are less likely to develop early breast cancer than women who do not breastfeed - as long as they do not smoke - a nurse-led study suggests.

Emilio Gonzalez-Jimenez PhD, of the University of Granada in Spain, and his colleagues drew from the medical records of 504 women (between 19 and 91 years of age) who had been treated for breast cancer at one of the city's hospitals.

Women who had not breastfed their babies were, on average, found to get breast cancer 10 years earlier than breastfeeding mothers.

The university team included a number of factors in their analysis - age of breast cancer diagnosis, length of breastfeeding, family history of cancer, obesity, alcohol consumption and smoking habits.

"Regardless of the patients' family history of cancer," the researchers said, breastfeeding meant that mothers who were going to develop the disease were going to do so at a later age.

The nursing experts warn, however, that smoking countered the benefits of breastfeeding:

"In contrast, female smokers were diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age and obtained no significant benefit from a longer period of breastfeeding."

In the authors' study paper background, they cite estimates of 720,000 cases of breast cancer a year worldwide - "20% of all cancers." They note that 17-36% of all breast cancers are in women under 40.

Dr. Emilio Gonzalez-Jimenez and his team explain that "there are various explanations why breastfeeding seems to prevent breast cancer and why it appears to significantly benefit female health."

Among the biological theories to explain breastfeeding benefit, the authors say:

"The most probable of these are the hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy and lactation."

The results of the study showed a gain in years lived for breast cancer patients who breastfed their babies "for periods of longer than 6 months," the authors conclude.

"In fact," they say, "our study showed an average gain of 10 years in the mean age at diagnosis."

The study ends with this conclusion:

"Breastfeeding for periods of over 6 months not only provides children with numerous health benefits, but also protects the mother from serious diseases such as breast cancer.

Breastfeeding is a potential ally in the fight against breast tumors."

The researchers call for continued analysis and study of the benefits of breastfeeding.

In other recent news, breastfeeding for longer has been linked to higher IQ in offspring.

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has statistics showing that breastfeeding went up in the past decade. The proportion of babies being breastfed rose from 6% in the year 2000, to over two-thirds, or 71%, in 2010.

Written by Markus MacGill

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our pregnancy / obstetrics section for the latest news on this subject. Breastfeeding and the prevention of breast cancer: a retrospective review of clinical histories Emilio Gonzalez-Jimenez, Pedro A. Garcia, Maria Jose Aguilar and others, Journal of Clinical Nursing, published online August 15, 2013. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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New Mums with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - substantial link between high BMI's and low breastfeeding rates

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Endocrinology;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 14 Aug 2013 - 2:00 PDT Current ratings for:
New Mums with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - substantial link between high BMI's and low breastfeeding rates

New Mums with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) are more likely to be overweight and less likely to breastfeed than their counterparts in the healthy weight range, say scientists.

Already known to affect 1 in 5 Australian women, approximately one million women of childbearing age, PCOS is a growing concern and scientists are calling for further research into the clinical features including fertility issues associated with the condition.

PCOS is still one of the country's most underdiagnosed conditions and is well-known for being linked to other health issues such as a high BMI, Type II Diabetes and infertility.

A new study conducted by scientists at Monash University investigating the link between breastfeeding habits and body mass index in women with and without PCOS has found a substantial link between high BMI's and low breastfeeding rates.

Professor Helena Teede, Natalie Nanayakkara, Dr Anju Joham, Dr Sophia Zoungas, Associate Professor Deborah Loxton and Professor Eszter Vanky undertook the study using data from the Australian Longitudinal Women's Health Study.

Working at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, they aimed to ascertain the link between breastfeeding, PCOS and pregnant women who are overweight or obese.

The findings are just one of the many research abstracts to be discussed at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Endocrine Society of Australia and the Society for Reproductive Biology 2013, from August 25-28 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Professor Helena Teede said research into PCOS is much needed. "There is a widespread under-diagnosis of this condition and symptoms are often overlooked by health practitioners up until a woman has difficulty conceiving," said Professor Teede.

"Recent figures show that approximately 72 per cent of women diagnosed with PCOS require costly fertility assistance, but when provided with this assistance, family sizes are similar to women without PCOS - " These startling new figures prompted us to conduct research into reproductive issues associated with the condition," she said.

The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of very large community based dataset from the government-funded, Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Participants were women aged 31 to 36 years old, and were randomly selected from the Medicare database.

"There is significant existing evidence that women who suffer from PCOS are more likely to be overweight. Small studies also suggested that women with PCOS had lower breastfeeding rates.

"Breast feeding is important in limiting weight retention after pregnancy in new mothers. With this study, we wanted to find whether there was a further link between PCOS and breastfeeding behaviours.

"The study discovered that, while there was no definitive link between PCOS and breastfeeding, there was a strong link between weight and breast feeding and for every five unit increase in BMI there was an approximate 20 day reduction in breastfeeding duration.

"What we want to see happening as a result of this study is increased lactation support for women who are overweight," she said.

Obesity is a growing concern in Australia with recent ABS statistics showing 62.8 per cent of all Australians fall in the overweight or obese categories, defined by a minimum BMI rating of 25.

"Ultimately, rising obesity rates are now the primary cause of chronic disease in Australia and are at the root of some of our growing health issues including PCOS. As a nation we are leading increasingly sedentary lives, which serves to further compound the issue," said Professor Teede.

"On average, women gain 700g per year but recent research has shown that women diagnosed with PCOS gain almost three times that amount.

"The figures are eye-opening and further highlight the need for more study in the area to help provide greater support to women affected by PCOS.

"By addressing things such as breastfeeding habits of women with PCOS we can better understand how to tackle the growing public health issue of the condition," she said.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our women's health / gynecology section for the latest news on this subject. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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Study finds physicians need to better recognize use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding

Main Category: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 05 Aug 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Study finds physicians need to better recognize use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding

In an article published in this month's issue of Pediatrics In Review, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) stress the importance of physicians recognizing that many mothers use herbal supplements while breastfeeding in order to make accurate health assessments for both mother and child.

In the US, no existing regulatory guidelines set a standardized risk assessment of herbal supplement use during breastfeeding. Because of the highly limited number of studies on herb use during lactation, numerous resources have mixed reports and safety recommendations, making it confusing for both mother and clinician.

After completing a systematic review of human lactation and herbal medicine literature, the researchers found poor methodology in the few available studies and concluded that further research is needed to assess the prevalence, efficacy and safety of commonly used herbs during breastfeeding.

"It is important for physicians and clinicians to be more aware that mothers are using herbal supplements and how vital it is to ask the mothers, who are seeking a doctor's opinion when having trouble breastfeeding, about their use before making an assessment," said senior author Paula Gardiner, MD, MPH, assistant professor at BUSM and a physician of family medicine at Boston Medical Center.

Although there is little scientific evidence to support the efficacy or safety of herbal supplements, it is a common practice both nationally and internationally.

"The use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding is two-sided - there are benefits, but there are also safety concerns," she added. "About 18 percent of the US population use herbs and dietary supplements. We just want to make sure physicians and clinicians are aware of this prevalent use when communicating with breastfeeding mothers about their health."

Herbal remedies may be used to increase the milk supply, relieve engorgement, treat mastitis, or for other therapeutic uses unrelated to lactation.

"Since there is very limited research, it is difficult to develop accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of specific herbs during breastfeeding," said Gardiner. "It is crucial that more research is conducted in this area, including national prevalence studies and safety and efficacy studies."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our complementary medicine / alternative medicine section for the latest news on this subject.

Gardiner is supported by grant K07AT005463 from the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine or the National Institutes of Health.

Boston University Medical Center

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Study finds physicians need to better recognize use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding

Main Category: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Also Included In: Primary Care / General Practice;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 05 Aug 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Study finds physicians need to better recognize use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding

In an article published in this month's issue of Pediatrics In Review, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) stress the importance of physicians recognizing that many mothers use herbal supplements while breastfeeding in order to make accurate health assessments for both mother and child.

In the US, no existing regulatory guidelines set a standardized risk assessment of herbal supplement use during breastfeeding. Because of the highly limited number of studies on herb use during lactation, numerous resources have mixed reports and safety recommendations, making it confusing for both mother and clinician.

After completing a systematic review of human lactation and herbal medicine literature, the researchers found poor methodology in the few available studies and concluded that further research is needed to assess the prevalence, efficacy and safety of commonly used herbs during breastfeeding.

"It is important for physicians and clinicians to be more aware that mothers are using herbal supplements and how vital it is to ask the mothers, who are seeking a doctor's opinion when having trouble breastfeeding, about their use before making an assessment," said senior author Paula Gardiner, MD, MPH, assistant professor at BUSM and a physician of family medicine at Boston Medical Center.

Although there is little scientific evidence to support the efficacy or safety of herbal supplements, it is a common practice both nationally and internationally.

"The use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding is two-sided - there are benefits, but there are also safety concerns," she added. "About 18 percent of the US population use herbs and dietary supplements. We just want to make sure physicians and clinicians are aware of this prevalent use when communicating with breastfeeding mothers about their health."

Herbal remedies may be used to increase the milk supply, relieve engorgement, treat mastitis, or for other therapeutic uses unrelated to lactation.

"Since there is very limited research, it is difficult to develop accurate information on the safety and effectiveness of specific herbs during breastfeeding," said Gardiner. "It is crucial that more research is conducted in this area, including national prevalence studies and safety and efficacy studies."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our complementary medicine / alternative medicine section for the latest news on this subject.

Gardiner is supported by grant K07AT005463 from the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine or the National Institutes of Health.

Boston University Medical Center

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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'Study finds physicians need to better recognize use of herbal supplements while breastfeeding'

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Breastfeeding duration appears associated with intelligence later in life

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 29 Jul 2013 - 13:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Breastfeeding duration appears associated with intelligence later in life

Breastfeeding longer is associated with better receptive language at 3 years of age and verbal and nonverbal intelligence at age 7 years, according to a study published by JAMA Pediatrics, a JAMA Network publication.

Evidence supports the relationship between breastfeeding and health benefits in infancy, but the extent to which breastfeeding leads to better cognitive development is less certain, according to the study background.

Mandy B. Belfort, M.D., M.P.H., of Boston Children's Hospital, and colleagues examined the relationships of breastfeeding duration and exclusivity with child cognition at ages 3 and 7 years. They also studied the extent to which maternal fish intake during lactation affected associations of infant feeding and later cognition. Researchers used assessment tests to measure cognition.

"Longer breastfeeding duration was associated with higher Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test score at age 3 years (0.21; 95% CI, 0.03-0.38 points per month breastfed) and with higher intelligence on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test at age 7 years (0.35; 0.16-0.53 verbal points per month breastfed; and 0.29; 0.05-0.54 nonverbal points per month breastfed)," according to the study results. However, the study also noted that breastfeeding duration was not associated with Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning scores.

As for fish intake (less than 2 servings per week vs. greater than or equal to 2 servings), the relationship between breastfeeding duration and the Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Abilities at 3 years of age appeared to be stronger in children of women with higher vs. lower fish intake, although this finding was not statistically significant, the results also indicate.

"In summary, our results support a causal relationship of breastfeeding in infancy with receptive language at age 3 and with verbal and nonverbal IQ at school age. These findings support national and international recommendations to promote exclusive breastfeeding through age 6 months and continuation of breastfeeding through at least age 1 year," the authors conclude.

In an editorial, Dimitri A. Christakis, M.D., M.P.H., of the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute, writes: "The authors reported an IQ benefit at age 7 years from breastfeeding of 0.35 points per month on the verbal scale and 0.29 points per month on the nonverbal one. Put another way, breastfeeding an infant for the first year of life would be expected to increase his or her IQ by about four points or one-third of a standard deviation."

"However, the problem currently is not so much that most women do not initiate breastfeeding, it is that they do not sustain it. In the United States about 70 percent of women overall initiate breastfeeding, although only 50 percent of African American women do. However, by six months, only 35 percent and 20 percent, respectively, are still breastfeeding," Christakis continues.

"Furthermore, workplaces need to provide opportunities and spaces for mothers to use them. Fourth, breastfeeding in public should be destigmatized. Clever social media campaigns and high-quality public service announcements might help with that. As with lead, some of these actions may require legislative action either at the federal or state level. Let's allow our children's cognitive function be the force that tilts the scale, and let's get on with it," Christakis concludes.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our pediatrics / children's health section for the latest news on this subject.

Article:

JAMA Pediatr. Published online July 29, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.455.

Editor’s Note: This work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health. Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

Editorial:

JAMA Pediatr. Published online July 29, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.470.

The author made a conflict of interest disclosure. Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

JAMA

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