Can Breastfeeding Really Lower My Breast Cancer Risk?

No woman likes to think about breast cancer. No matter what your age, you probably even know at least one or two women with breast cancer. If you’re young, they may be your mother’s age, or your grandmother’s. 

Breast cancer is so common in women that it accounts for 30% of all new female cancers each year in the United States. More than 42,000 women die every year from breast cancer. 

So, when you hear a rumor that breastfeeding your baby can reduce your risk, it piques your curiosity. Whether you’re pregnant now or hoping to become so soon, deciding to breastfeed can bring both you and your baby numerous health benefits.

At Mass Medical Imaging, our expert physicians, Karen Mass, MD, and Joseph Calandra, MD, want you to take every step you can to reduce your risk of breast cancer. Depending on your age, that may include regular breast screenings at our Lake Forest offices. When possible, we encourage you to breastfeed, too.

How can nursing your baby reduce your breast cancer risk? The following are a few reasons why breastfeeding is beneficial to both mothers and babies.

Any reduction is important

The risks of breast cancer are real: About one in every eight women in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. 

Catching breast cancer early is important to survival. That’s why we encourage you to conduct monthly breast exams. If you’re at average risk for breast cancer (that’s anyone who’s not at high risk), we also urge you to start regular mammograms at age 40.

And if you’re a new mom, pregnant, or hope to be, we also encourage you to breastfeed your baby for at least six months. Simply giving birth to one baby reduces your risk for breast cancer by 7%. In addition, your risk is further reduced by 4.3% for every year that you breastfeed. 

In fact, if you’re at high risk for breast cancer, nursing is even more important. Carriers of the BRCA1 mutations can reduce their risk by 22-55%. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk of triple-negative breast cancer by 20%. 

Breastfeeding suppresses estrogen

You might also know that you’re protected from pregnancy while you breastfeed. Nursing your baby changes your hormone levels, suppressing key hormones like estrogen that allow you to ovulate and trigger menstruation. When you don’t ovulate, you don’t release eggs and therefore can’t get pregnant.

The reduction in estrogen is also beneficial to your breast health. Long-term exposure to estrogen is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. That’s why starting your period early, ending it later in life, and never giving birth can all increase your risk.

In contrast, when your breasts and ovaries get breaks from estrogen, your risk goes down. Pregnancy automatically reduces your risk. Breastfeeding extends that reduction.

Breastfeeding protects against ovarian cancer, too

By suppressing estrogen, breastfeeding also reduces your risk for ovarian cancer. In fact, one study found that if you breastfeed for more than 13 months, you’re 63% less likely to develop ovarian cancer when compared to women who breastfed for less than seven months. 

And, when it comes to giving birth, more is less. The study also found that women who had multiple children and breastfed them for a total of more than 31 months had even greater benefits: They reduced their ovarian cancer risk by up to 91%, when compared to those who breastfed for fewer than 10 months. 

You protect your child, too

Your breastmilk’s antibodies and nutrition don’t just help your baby when they’re small. They actually confer benefits that last throughout their lifetime. Breastfeeding protects your child from obesity, which then lowers their risk for ten different cancers (including breast, pancreatic, and rectal).

Babies who’ve been exposed to their mother’s antibodies through breastmilk also have stronger immune systems. They’re even less likely to develop allergies.

Breastfeeding isn’t always easy

Although photos of new moms nursing their babies are heartwarming and sweet, breastfeeding isn’t always easy or comfortable. You may need to consult a lactation expert to help your baby learn to latch. And, if you can’t breastfeed, don’t worry: you can help your baby (and yourself) be healthy and at lower risk for disease by adopting helpful habits, like a whole-foods diet and plenty of exercise. 

Keep ahead of breast health by booking a breast screening today. You can phone our helpful team at 847-235-2415 or book online via our appointment form.