Breastfeeding Lowers Blood Pressure Risk in Mothers

A new study has found that breastfeeding lowers blood pressure in women even decades later.

Breastfeeding has tremendous benefits for babies, as the milk has just the right amount of nutrients and antibodies that help the baby grow healthy. However, breastfeeding can also help a woman; it strengthens the bond between mother and child, protects the mother from certain cancers and lowers the risk for obesity and heart disease.

The study was conducted by researchers from University of Western Sydney who found that women who breastfed their babies had lower chances of developing high blood pressure before age 64 years. The latest study was based on a study sample of more than 74,000 Australian women who were 45 years or older.

Researchers found that women aged 45 to 64 years had a reduced likelihood of developing high blood pressure if they had breastfed for more than six months in their lifetime or for three months per child, when compared with women who had never breastfed their babies.

Researchers said that the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers diminished after 64 years of age.

"Hopefully this research will add to the discussion between women and their physicians and midwives. Whenever possible, women should be encouraged to breastfeed as long as possible as the protective effect of breastfeeding increases with the length of time breastfeeding," said Dr. Joanne Lind, a senior lecturer in molecular biology and genetics and principal investigator of the study. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months, with continued breastfeeding along with complementary food along for 2 years or beyond. A recent report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that in the U.S., the rates of breastfeeding have increased over the years.

"This study provides further support for the WHO recommendations, as both the total amount of time a woman spends breastfeeding in her lifetime, and the length of time she spends breastfeeding each child, are associated with a significant reduction in the likelihood of having high blood pressure," added Dr. Lind in a news release.

The study is published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.