Update to Benefits of Breastfeeding Against Ovarian Cancer

(April 7, 2020) In a study published last week in the oncology Journal of the American Medical Association, breastfeeding was found to be a factor for reduced risk of developing invasive ovarian cancer. Researchers collected information on close to 10,000 women with ovarian cancer, and found that breastfeeding was associated with a “24% lower risk of invasive ovarian cancer.”

As stated in the abstract, “Breastfeeding is associated with a significant decrease in risk of ovarian cancer overall and for the high-grade serous subtype, the most lethal type of ovarian cancer. The findings suggest that breastfeeding is a potentially modifiable factor that may lower risk of ovarian cancer independent of pregnancy alone.”

This study is consistent with findings previously reported by OCRA. The full text of this study can be read through a subscription to the Journal of the American Medical Association.