Abstract
AimTo evaluate the effect of breastfeeding on long-term (breast carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus) and short-term (lactational amenorrhoea, postpartum depression, postpartum weight change) maternal health outcomes.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library and CABI databases. Outcome estimates of odds ratios or relative risks or standardised mean differences were pooled. In cases of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis and meta-regression were explored.ResultsBreastfeeding >12 months was associated with reduced risk of breast and ovarian carcinoma by 26% and 37%, respectively. No conclusive evidence of an association between breastfeeding and bone mineral density was found. Breastfeeding was associated with 32% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Exclusive breastfeeding and predominant breastfeeding were associated with longer duration of amenorrhoea. Shorter duration of breastfeeding was associated with higher risk of postpartum depression. Evidence suggesting an association of breastfeeding with postpartum weight change was lacking.ConclusionThis review supports the hypothesis that breastfeeding is protective against breast and ovarian carcinoma, and exclusive breastfeeding and predominant breastfeeding increase the duration of lactational amenorrhoea. There is evidence that breastfeeding reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, an association between breastfeeding and bone mineral density or maternal depression or postpartum weight change was not evident.
Highlights
Breast milk is the natural first food for newborns
100 studies examined the impact of breastfeeding on breast carcinoma, 40 studies on ovarian carcinoma, 12 studies on lactational amenorrhoea, five studies on postpartum weight change and six studies on osteoporosis
Ever breastfeeding was associated with 22% (Fig. 2) reduction of breast carcinoma risk compared with never breastfeeding
Summary
Breast milk is the natural first food for newborns It provides all the energy and nutrients that an infant needs for the first six months of life, up to half or more during the second half of infancy and up to one-third during the second year of life [1,2]. A number of studies have suggested that breastfeeding, for an extended period of time, may be associated with a decreased risk of breast carcinoma, even after adjustment for potential confounders [7]. It is difficult, to estimate the magnitude of association between breastfeeding duration and breast carcinoma if any, because of the different methodologies used in breastfeeding his-
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