Breastfeeding Mothers Less Likely to Develop Heart Attacks or Strokes

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The longer that mothers breastfeed, the less risk they have for heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the May issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

University of Pittsburgh researchers noted that the benefits from breastfeeding were long-term, and that women who breastfed for more than a month were 10% less likely to have a stroke, heart attack, or to develop heart disease than women who had never breastfed.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, so it’s vitally important for us to know what we can do to protect ourselves. We have known for years that breastfeeding is important for babies’ health; we now know that it is important for mothers’ health as well.” – Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, M.D., M.S., University of Pittsburgh

The findings in the study are based on 139,681 postmenopausal women that are enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative study of chronic disease, which was initiated in 1994. According to the research, postmenopausal women who breastfed for at least one month had lower rates of high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure, which are known to cause heart disease.

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