Some doctors do not see the need to tell their patients that there is a low possibility to get breast cancer in case of breastfeeding. However, the patients’ awareness of the fact influences their decision.
Breastfeeding gives many advantages for children. Breast milk consists of the exact essential nutrients to help children development. In addition, breastfeeding provide babies with antibodies that protect them against certain infections and various health problems. Mothers along with their babies take advantages from breastfeeding. For instance, some doctors note the dependence between breastfeeding and reduced breast cancer risk.
However, the Tech Times informed that many women are not aware of the link.
The Comprehensive Oncology Center at Ohio State University held a study that has brought together 724 women of different age, from 18 to 50.
Generally, the vast majority of women, 92%, assured they breastfed and about half of the group, 56%, said they knew about the association between nursing and reduced breast cancer risk. Among that half, one-third of women confessed that awareness of the link was an all-in-all factor that contributed to their decision about breastfeeding.
The research also showed that only 16% of women were informed about the connection by their doctors. This is a serious figure for the research leader Dr. Bhuvana Ramaswamy, according to a statement from the Ohio State University.
“We are a medical community and our responsibility is to provide our patients with trustworthy and full information concerning their health,” claimed Ramaswamy. When knowledge is verified by professionals, patients tend to believe it and take it into consideration.”
Despite poor survey figures, the researchers made a solid conclusion that the awareness about the link between breastfeeding and low breast cancer risk influences mothers’ breastfeeding choice. So, about a half among 39 mothers said if they knew about this connection, they would have chosen to breastfeed.
The Biggest Breast Cancer Risks Are Beyond Our Personal Control
There are some breast cancer risk factors that cannot be changed or prevented or even predicted. Nevertheless, mothers can control some of the factors. For instance, giving up alcohol, avoiding extra weight and living an active life can reduce breast cancer risk, in accordance with the American Cancer Society (ACS).
The ACS also notes on their website page that if a mother practices breastfeeding up to one and a half or two years then it might reduce the risk.
In accordance with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) there is a dependence between breast cancer and female hormones. Pregnancy along with breastfeeding lowers female hormone production by reducing a woman’s total number of menstrual cycles.
Some researchers declared a vague and not fully confirmed opinion that during pregnancy and breastfeeding breast cells become more withstanding to transforming into cancer cells.
We should see as much variation as possible when considering breastfeeding. If a mother has some risk factors, that do not always indicate breast cancer in future. On the other hand, not having those risk factors will not protect you from breast cancer either.
Breast surgeon Dr. Deanna Attai assures that all women are at risk of developing breast cancer no matter what they are aware of, whether they were breastfeeding their children or not. Even a healthy lifestyle together with a clean family history seem to be insignificant.
Attai added to the above that being a woman and getting older are the two they risk factors for the disease, which cannot be changed.
