Yesterday we celebrated World Breast Cancer Day, the most frequent tumor among women, and although fortunately in recent years its prognosis has advanced significantly, it is important to know mitigating factors, such as Breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer.
A mega-investigation based on 47 studies conducted in 30 countries has concluded that breastfeeding has a protective effect on breast cancer, and that the longer the breastfeeding, the lower the risk of developing the disease.
This protective effect happens if the lactation period is at least 12 months, and that there must be an accumulated in the life of the woman between 20 to 24 months Of having breastfed. The risk is reduced by 4.3% for every 12 months of breastfeeding, adding another 7% reduction in the risk of childbirth.
The keys to this relationship are based on two consequences caused by breastfeeding: the delay in the restoration of ovarian function and the decrease in serum estrogen levels.
If the woman is also young when breastfeeding her first child (21 years on average), so it can give a protective effect during the maturation of breast cells due to milk production.
It is also believed that during breastfeeding a growth factor in the body is modified, so that the growth of breast cancer cells is prevented.
This does not mean that if you breastfeed it is impossible to develop breast cancer. There are factors that cannot be changed (hereditary, hormonal, etc.), but breastfeeding is a variable that we can modify and that in addition to giving our baby the best, It is also beneficial to reduce the risk of breast cancer in the mother.
