Women who breastfed at some time in their lives were less likely to develop heart disease or stroke, compared to women who did not breastfeed, according to a meta-analysis of previous studies.
Breastfeeding was also associated with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease for the women.
Previous research has also noted that the maternal health benefits of breastfeeding are associated with a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Women who breastfed were less likely to develop heart disease or a stroke, or die from cardiovascular disease than women who did not breastfeed, according to a meta-analysis published today in a pregnancy spotlight issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), an open access, peer-reviewed Journal of the American Heart Association.

The health benefits of breastfeeding for children are well known. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is linked with fewer respiratory infections and lower risk of death from infectious diseases among the children who were breastfed. Breastfeeding also has been linked to maternal health benefits, including lower risk for Type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer.

Release date: 11 January 2021
Source: American Heart Association

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