Why does breastfeeding lower your chances of breast...

[Jackson's meem]

...and ovarian cancers later in life?

[pub_health]

Hi, there. I don't know the exact physiology of it, but in the field of public health, we understand breastfeeding to be a "protective" factor (as opposed to a risk factor) for breast and ovarian cancers. Most likely, it has something to do with the production of hormones in your body (like estrogen) during breastfeeding. I hope that helps.

[Erin R]

Because it reduces the amount of estrogen circulating in your body. Typically when you are breastfeeding, especially exclusively, you don't ovulate. There is a lot of estrogen ciculating in your body to regulate your cycle, cause ovulation and your period. Increased estrogen concentrations has been linked to developing breast and ovarian cancer. The less often your body ovulates the less likely you'll develop one of these cancers. It doesn't work the same for when women are on birthcontrol because the "pill" is usually a combination of progesterone and estrogen.