There is much information available about the advantages of breastfeeding for infants and how this act also has certain implications for women who practice it. As it turned out breastfeeding is beneficial for women’s health as well, talking especially about the decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancers stimulated by hormones is also important. World Health Organization states that women who practice breastfeeding for at least 12 months during their lives have 30% lesser chances of developing type 2 diabetes and 10%-15% decreased risks of dying from cardiovascular diseases.
“The body of a woman before delivery goes through dramatic changes in metabolism which include forming visceral fat and altering insulin resistance to facilitate the growing fetus,” said Dr. N Sapna Lulla, Lead Consultant - Obstetrics and Gynaecology, SPARSH Hospital, Hennur Road. “Lactation is a powerful process that mobilizes fat reserves and burns around 500 calories per day; metabolic clearance following pregnancy results in the improvement of insulin sensitivity and restoration of lipid profile, ensuring a lower risk of metabolic syndrome and gestational diabetes."
The protective impact of lactation on the cardiovascular system is similarly impactful. Research published in cardiac and maternal health databases has revealed that women who do not breastfeed have higher resting blood pressure, higher fasting blood glucose levels, and higher subclinical atherosclerosis decades post-delivery than those who do breastfeed.
“Breastfeeding initiates the prolonged secretion of oxytocin, which serves two vital roles: one which involves milk release and the other which is related to the relaxation of vessels and lowering of stress,” Dr. Meenakshi Bansal, Senior Consultant - Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, Delhi. “In our gynaecology practice, we observe that women with long lactation time periods have low systemic vascular resistance and less chance of suffering from secondary hypertension. Breastfeeding preserves cardiovascular health in mothers through the promotion of vascular endothelial functioning and overcoming chronic arterial hardening.”
In addition to other metabolic and cardiac protective mechanisms, prolonged lactation takes on significance within preventive gynaecological oncology. According to epidemiological data, women have been reported to experience a 4.3% relative risk reduction of developing breast cancer as a result of an additional 12 months of breastfeeding. Furthermore, the risk of ovarian cancer is about 27% lower as a result of prolonged lactation.
According to Dr. Roli Purwar, Gynaecologic Oncology at Regency Hospital, Gorakhpur, "The cancer-preventive effect of breastfeeding is directly related to hormonal balance and the maturation process of women's reproductive tissues. Moreover, lactation leads to an infective suppression of ovulation and decreased production of estrogen and progesterone in the blood. As a result, preliminary hormonal factors responsible for the development of cancer that expresses the receptors for breast and uterine cancer will not act in the case of breastfeeding. In addition, complete maturation and shedding of breast epithelial tissue take place during lactation, leading to protective exfoliation and removal of potential mutations that can adversely affect cells.
Aside from its role in preventing cancer, breastfeeding allows swift uterine involution post-birth and decreases postpartum bleeding risks. It also supports the re-establishment of bone mineral density long after breastfeeding, hence decreasing the likelihood of developing osteoporosis after menopause.
Dr Swati Trivedi, Senior Consultant- Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Apollo Spectra Hospital Kanpur states that maternal health care must think differently about breastfeeding. "A lot of women stop breastfeeding before they really want to because they find it physically difficult, they have trouble doing it in the workplace or because they lack support. When the obstetrical team gives proper prenatal education about breastfeeding and postnatal assistance, we not only help the babies to develop healthily, but also prevent the women from many chronic diseases that may result in deaths. By making sure lactation is a priority, we are implementing one of the most effective public health strategies aimed at improving women's health.”
According to experts in medicine at these renowned institutions, it is critical for public health policy, clinical obstetric practice, as well as workplace accommodations, to work together in enabling women to breastfeed for longer duration so as to allow them to get all the benefits of biological protection.