Breast-Feeding Linked to Lower Endometriosis Risk | MyEndometriosisTeam

Connect with others who understand.

sign up Log in
Resources
About MyEndometriosisTeam
Powered By

Breast-Feeding Linked to Lower Endometriosis Risk

Posted on October 30, 2018


By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Sept. 8, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Women who breast-fed at least one child appear to have a lower risk for developing endometriosis, new research suggests.

Endometriosis is a chronic and often painful condition that occurs when the lining of the uterus grows outside of the reproductive organ on the fallopian tubes, ovaries or another area.

"We found that women who breast-fed for a greater duration were less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis," said study author Leslie Farland. She is a research scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

"Given the chronic nature of endometriosis and that very few modifiable risk factors are currently known,
breast-feeding may be an important modifiable behavior to reduce the risk of endometriosis among women after pregnancy," Farland said in a hospital news release.

The study involved thousands of women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II. That study began in 1989, and the women were tracked for two decades. The researchers found that during this time, nearly 3,300 of the women were diagnosed with endometriosis after giving birth to their first child.

The research team then focused on breast-feeding behavior among the women. Specifically, the researchers considered how long the women nursed their infants, when they introduced solid food or formula, and how much time passed before their first postpartum period.

The women's risk for endometriosis fell by 8 percent for every three additional months they breast-fed after each pregnancy, the findings showed. Their risk dropped 14 percent for every extra three months of exclusive
breast-feeding after each pregnancy.

The researchers also looked at a woman's lifetime risk. Women who exclusively
breast-feed for a cumulative 18 months or more during their reproductive years (which may include multiple pregnancies) have a nearly 30 percent lower risk for endometriosis, the study found.

The temporary pause in periods while women are
breast-feeding shortly after birth may partially explain their lower risk for endometriosis, the study authors suggested. The hormonal changes associated with breast-feeding could also play a role.

However, it's not entirely clear if women who breast-feed are less likely to develop endometriosis or if they are just less likely to become symptomatic and seek out a surgical evaluation to confirm the diagnosis.

"Our findings lend support to the body of public health and policy literature that advocates for the promotion of breast-feeding," Farland said.

"Our work has important implications for advising women who are looking to lower their risk of endometriosis. We hope that future research will illuminate whether
breast-feeding could help lessen the symptoms of endometriosis among women who have already been diagnosed," she added.

About 10 percent of women in the United States are affected by endometriosis, the researchers said. Symptoms of the condition include pain in the lower part of the belly, painful periods and pain during sex.

The study was published recently in the BMJ.

Note: This article was published more than one year ago. The facts and conclusions presented may have since changed and may no longer be accurate.

SOURCE: Brigham and Women's Hospital, news release, Aug. 30, 2017
Copyright © 2017 All rights reserved.

What do you think about these findings? Share in the comments below or directly on MyEndometriosisTeam.

Posted on October 30, 2018
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Become a Subscriber

Get the latest articles about endometriosis sent to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Related Articles

We surveyed 638 members of MyEndometriosisTeam about their experiences with painful intercourse ...

Survey Results: What MyEndometriosisTeam Members Say About Painful Sexual Intercourse and Endometriosis

We surveyed 638 members of MyEndometriosisTeam about their experiences with painful intercourse ...
By Serena Gordon, HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Jan. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- An add-on proced...

Uterus 'Scratching' Technique Won't Boost Fertility Treatment Success

By Serena Gordon, HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Jan. 23, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- An add-on proced...
By Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Nov. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- If your urinary t...

Tough-to-Treat UTIs More Likely to Recur

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay Reporter MONDAY, Nov. 12, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- If your urinary t...
By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Sept. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- You're much mo...

Doctor Burnout Likely to Impair Care

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Sept. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- You're much mo...
(HealthDay News) -- An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, m...

Health Tip: Risk Factors for an Ectopic Pregnancy

(HealthDay News) -- An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, m...
By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Women wh...

Hysterectomy May Have Long-Term Health Risks

By Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Jan. 3, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Women wh...

Recent Articles

Welcome to MyEndometriosisTeam — the place to connect with others living with endometriosis. Thi...

Getting Started on MyEndometriosisTeam (VIDEO)

Welcome to MyEndometriosisTeam — the place to connect with others living with endometriosis. Thi...
This is a short guided meditation by Dr. Christiane Wolf on self-kindness, which can give you mor...

Self-Kindness When Struggling: 6-Minute Guided Meditation

This is a short guided meditation by Dr. Christiane Wolf on self-kindness, which can give you mor...
If you’re living with endometriosis, you may notice that your symptoms come on strong during flar...

Managing Endometriosis Flare-Ups

If you’re living with endometriosis, you may notice that your symptoms come on strong during flar...
Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is so rare that doctors have a hard time estimating how man...

Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome: What You Need To Know

Thoracic endometriosis syndrome (TES) is so rare that doctors have a hard time estimating how man...
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are typically caused by an infection in the urinary system, but p...

Can Endometriosis Cause a UTI?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are typically caused by an infection in the urinary system, but p...
Endometriosis is a condition that affects an estimated 1 in 10 women worldwide. Despite how commo...

Is Endometriosis Hereditary?

Endometriosis is a condition that affects an estimated 1 in 10 women worldwide. Despite how commo...
MyEndometriosisTeam My endometriosis Team

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close
MyEndometriosisTeam
Add to your home screen
MyEndometriosisTeam Tap below and then 'Add to Home Screen'