Question: Can breastfeeding cause breast cancer?
Answer: The breast cancer/breast feeding myth has been circulating for quite a few years now. It is only a myth; breastfeeding a child does not cause breast cancer.
Some studies suggest that breast feeding may slightly reduce a woman's risk factor of developing breast cancer. Breast feeding reduces the amount of time a woman menstruates, thus less estrogen production, leading to a decreased risk.
Studies are still ongoing about breast cancer risk reduction and breastfeeding.
Created: 12/19/2005
Source: National Cancer Institute. Pregnancy and Breast Cancer Fact Sheet;http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/pregnancy
