Breastfeeding and Dealing with Breast Cancer: Important Things to Understand

 



Breastfeeding is a crucial but complex task for many moms, as it can benefit both the baby and the mother's health. Studies show that even minimal breastfeeding can reduce a woman's risk of breast cancer by around 30 percent. This protective effect extends to women with a BRCA1 mutation, which increases the risk of breast cancer.

Why is breastfeeding beneficial?

Scientists have a few ideas. Pregnancy and breastfeeding lower the number of menstrual cycles and exposure to hormones associated with breast cancer risk. Some researchers believe that these processes also directly affect breast cells, changing them to produce milk, and potentially preventing them from turning into cancer cells.

Additional studies suggest that breastfeeding moms may have a lower risk of dying from breast cancer. There's also evidence that breastfeeding could reduce the mother's risk of diabetes and the child's risk of cancer.

Detecting breast cancer during pregnancy or breastfeeding can be tricky, as symptoms may be similar to those caused by nursing or inflamed breast tissue. This can lead to false positive or inconclusive results on mammograms or ultrasounds.

Breast cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or breastfeeding can complicate treatment. While certain types of chemotherapy may be safe during pregnancy, other treatments like surgery or radiation may need to be delayed. Breastfeeding is usually halted during cancer treatment to avoid passing therapies, like chemotherapy or hormone treatments, to the baby through breast milk.

How Chemotherapy Affects Fertility:

Chemotherapy can affect fertility, but many women can still conceive after breast cancer treatment, even with chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. While breastfeeding might be challenging after surgery or radiation to the breast, it should not be discouraged, as the opposite breast can still produce milk.

Breastfeeding already presents challenges for new moms, and dealing with breast cancer can make it more complex. It's crucial to discuss these issues with your doctors if you are currently breastfeeding or planning to do so in the future.

Its Important to consult a breast cancer specialist to get the best possible advice. If you are in delhi then you can consult Dr. Dodul Mondal the best cancer doctor in delhi.


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