Breastfeeding can reduce a woman’s risk of developing certain types of breast cancers, according to the researchers from the Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
The study examined the association between reproductive risk factors — such as the number of children a woman delivers, breastfeeding and oral contraceptive use — and found an increased risk for estrogen receptor — and progesterone receptor — (ER/PR) negative breast cancer in women who do not breastfeed.
The results also indicated that having three or more children without breastfeeding was associated with an increased risk for ER/PR-negative breast cancer. ER/PR-negative breast cancer often affects younger women and has a poor prognosis.
The researchers used data from three sites of the Breast Cancer Family Registry, including women from the US, Canada and Australia.
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