Lactation is associated with greater maternal bone size and bone strength later in life

Abstract

Breastfeeding is beneficial to maternal bone strength in the long run.

Risk factors influencing the bone health in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women

“…18 In a recent study, Wiklund et al displayed the protective effect of lactation on bone size and strength in direct correlation with its duration while Yazici et al found no effect of lactation and its duration on postmenopausal women. 19,20 Kauppi et al also confirmed the positive effect of parity on BMD and showed inverse association between risk of hip fracture and parity. 21 Moller et al concluded in their study that pregnancy and breastfeeding cause a reversible bone loss.…”

Relationship between Breastfeeding History and Osteoporosis among Women Attending Baghdad Teaching Hospitals.

“…Concerning type of feeding: The highest percentage (60%) of the study sample was breast & bottle feeding as shown in table (2). Studies reported that history of breastfeeding affects bone mineral density and fracture risk later in life (23,24). While other study show that postmenopausal women with a history of breastfeeding had higher bone mineral density in the lumbar spine (25).…”

“…The highest percentage (30%) of the study sample their age were (20)(21)(22)(23)(24) year at first breastfeeding with mean and SD 23.17 ± 6.87as shown in Table (2). In cross-sectional study performed in postmenopausal women reported that there was a significantly lower incidence of osteoporosis among women who first breastfed at age after 27 years (21).…”

“…Concerning monthly income: The highest percentage (44%) of the study sample monthly income were insufficient, and (37%) of them consider monthly income sufficient ,while the lowest percentages (19%) of them barely sufficient monthly income from woman's point of view. Table (2) shows that the highest (30%) of the study sample their age were (20)(21)(22)(23)(24) year at first breastfeeding with mean and SD 23.17 ± 6.87, while the lowest percentage (%5) of them were at age less than 15 year. More than one third (40%) of the study sample had 6 or more children , while the lowest percentage (16%) of them had one child.…”

Lactation, bone strength and reduced risk of bone fractures: reply to comment by Cure-Cure et al.

“…Cure-Cure and Cure [1] have raised the important question of whether greater maternal bone size and bone strength due to prolonged lactation protects women from fragility fractures in the long run. We cannot answer this question at this time since the majority of the women in our study [2] were pre-menopausal. We will explore this issue later by following up this cohort.…”