Study Finds Breastfeeding Linked to Lower Risk of Heart Disease in Women
January 13, 2022
Breastfeeding has now been linked to another added benefit for moms.
Women who breastfed at some point in their life were less likely to develop heart disease or a stroke or die from cardiovascular disease than women who did not breastfeed, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.
The study, which analyzed data from over 1 million women around the world, found that women who breastfed had an 11% reduction in cardiovascular events, a 14% reduction in coronary heart disease, a 12% reduction in strokes and a 17% reduction in fatal cardiovascular events compared to women who never breastfed.
“It’s important for women to be aware of the benefits of breastfeeding for their babies’ health and also their own personal health,” Dr. Peter Willeit, the study's senior author and professor of clinical epidemiology at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria, said in a statement. “Moreover, these findings from high-quality studies conducted around the world highlight the need to encourage and support breastfeeding, such as breastfeeding-friendly work environments, and breastfeeding education and programs for families before and after giving birth.”
The newly-released study found increasing benefit for women who breastfed up to 12 months cumulatively, with the benefits plateauing for any time beyond that.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.
In addition to providing important health benefits for babies, breastfeeding has also been shown to decrease the risks of breast, ovarian, endometrial and thyroid cancers in women, and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the AAP.
The new findings on the benefits of breastfeeding stand out because heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For women age 20 and older, about 1 in 16 have coronary heart disease.
"[Breastfeeding] is not possible or desirable for every new mom, and this should be a judgment-free zone," said Ashton. "Obstetricians, midwives, pediatricians – our job is to educate and inform. It is that mother’s job to decide what she feels is best for her baby."
Siobhan Deshauer, M.D., FRCP, a resident in the ABC News Medical Unit, contributed to this report. Source: Good Morning America
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Christopher "Kid" Reid, half of the hip-hop duo Kid 'n Play, is revealing he underwent a heart transplant, speaking about his health condition for the first time on " Good Morning America. " The rapper, who first gained fame in the 1980s and 1990s alongside collaborator Christopher "Play" Martin, spoke with "GMA" co-anchor Michael Strahan in a segment airing Thursday, sharing he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure after an emergency room visit last July. Reid said initially, he began experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, which he said he attributed to getting older. "I think sometimes you kinda just chalk it up to, you know, 'I'm gettin' older,' you know, 'The road is harsh,'" he said. Eventually, when his symptoms intensified last summer, Reid said he visited an emergency room, where he received his diagnosis. Reid said he was first given medication to treat the condition, but at a three-week follow-up appointment, his cardiologist grew concerned. "He came in very swollen again, and that is a little unusual in somebody who's been started on treatment, for the swelling to come back that quickly," Erika Jones, Reid's cardiologist, told "GMA." That evening, instead of flying across the country for a performance as Reid had planned, Jones urged him to stay put and ran additional bloodwork. "The blood work confirmed my suspicion. It showed that his heart was failing, and it was starting to affect his other organs," Jones said. Reid said he received a call a few hours after his appointment, urging him to go to the emergency room, where he was rushed to the ICU. Reid was told by doctors that a heart transplant would be his only option, and he was placed on a transplant waitlist. Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Laura Dichiacchio, one of Reid's doctors, told "GMA" that Reid was placed on the transplant waiting list because it was "a kind of life or death situation." Dichiacchio described Reid as "warm" and "incredibly calm." Reid said eight days after being placed on the transplant waitlist, he received a call with the welcome news that he would get a new heart the following evening. Reid said he arrived for the surgery, and seven hours later, he had a new heart. Reid said he plans to cherish his second chance at life, saying, "This thing is ... a beautiful life. It's great. And, you know, I wanna be around for it." He added that he hoped to inspire others, particularly people of color, to put their health first and seek medical attention when things don't feel right. "A lot of times, we don't go because we don't want the bad news, or we too busy just hustlin', trying to make it from day to day," he said. "And we ... feel like we don't got time, or we'll get over it. Well, you might not." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S., about 6.7 million adults aged 20 or older have heart failure, a condition that happens "when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in your body." The CDC cites hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease as common risk factors for the disease. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, heart failure is a serious condition that requires medical care. Treatment can include heart-healthy lifestyle changes such as lower sodium intake, regular physical activity, and limited alcohol consumption, as well as medication, devices such as a pacemaker, and heart surgery or transplant.
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