Breastfeeding cuts heart attack risk

Breastfeeding could lower a woman’s risk of cardiac arrest and stroke, according to a new report.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh studied nearly 140,000 women and found many of the key causes of heart problems and strokes were lower in women who breastfed for at least a month.

Females who breastfed their children for more than 12 months were ten percent less likely to have a heart attack or a stroke than women who did not breastfeed, explained the report, which is published in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology journal.

Dr Eleanor Schwarz, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, said: “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, so it’s vitally important for us to know what we can do to protect ourselves.

“We have known for years that breastfeeding is important for babies’ health – we now know that it is important for mothers’ health as well.”

Dr Schwarz concluded that the investigation provides another reason for workplace policies to encourage women to breastfeed babies and youngsters.