A new report was shares that breastfeeding has another important benefit, it helps prevent ovarian cancer. Women can fight the ‘silent killer’ ovarian cancer when they breastfeed, especially if they breastfeed more than one child. New study shows breastfeeding decreases the mother's risk of the disease by nearly two-thirds.
The National Cancer Institute does list pregnancy and breastfeeding as two factors that can lower risk for ovarian cancer. Some experts believe that women who ovulate less often have a decreased risk of ovarian cancer.
One panel of experts lists several possible ways in which high breastfeeding can reduce risk of cancer.
- Breastfeeding lowers the levels of some cancer-related hormones in mother’s body, thereby reducing the risk of cancer.
- During breastfeeding, menstruation reduces and often stops (amenorrhea). Lactation induces a period of infertility. This decreases lifetime exposure to menstrual cycles and may be protective against some cancers. This is the general mechanism through which lactation could plausibly protect against cancer.
- At the end of breastfeeding, the body gets rid of any cells in the breast which may have DNA damage. This reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer developing in the future.
Studies reveled the longer the mother breastfeeds the better. Recent study showed that women who breastfed for more than 13 months were 63 per cent less likely to develop an ovarian tumour than those who breastfed for less than seven months, Medical Daily reported.
Other benefits include:
- A woman who has a family history of breast cancer will have a 59% decreased risk if she breastfeeds.
Women need to watch their diet, their environment, the products they use and live a healthy lifestyle along with being more aware. Now breastfeeding can be added to the list of ways to battle ovarian cancer.
The National Cancer Institute lists preventive points on their site such as:
- Avoid hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause, it increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
- Fertility drugs may be linked to the increased risk of ovarian cancer too.
- Obesity is linked to higher risk for ovarian cancer, having too much body fat especially during the teenage years.
We have heard of all the wonderful benefits breastfeeding offers the bady now we can see the benefits for moms too. If you are considering one day becoming a mom, think hard about the choice of breastfeeding your baby for all the benefits for you and your little one.
Resources:
New Zeland Herald
http://www.cancer.gov
Yahoo News
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