Breastfeeding protects the mother from heart disease

Health and Medical

NEW YORK [Reuters Health] – Women who breastfeed their babies are less likely to develop heart disease later in life, "MedicalXpress".

According to the results to be presented in Lyon, at the annual meeting of the European Society of Endocrinology ECE 2019, The study also indicated an increased protective effect on heart health in women breastfed for longer periods of time.

Breastfeeding

These findings provide further evidence of the long-term health benefits of breast-feeding and that women should be encouraged to do so whenever possible.

Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of postpartum depression and the risk of certain cancers in women. It has also been shown that breastfeeding can help mothers maintain a healthy body weight and regulate their blood sugar.

These benefits are likely to be associated with higher levels of prolactin in lactating mothers, as studies have recently shown that prolactin reduces the risk of diabetes, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide, but the long-term preventive effects of breastfeeding on the risk of heart disease have not been adequately investigated.

In this study, Dr. Erin Lambrinodaki of the University of Athens and her colleagues measured the signs of cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women with regard to their history of breastfeeding after controlling other risk factors for cardiovascular health, including body weight Age, cholesterol levels and smoking habits.

The data indicated that breastfed women had significantly lower levels of heart disease and heart disease indicators.

This effect was more important in women who breastfed for longer periods of time.

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