08/22/2025
Breastfeeding offers many advantages for mothers! Here’s an important example.
Study links breastfeeding to long-term heart health benefits for mothers
by Liz Bonis, WKRC Wed, August 20th 2025
"CINCINNATI (WKRC) — A new study released today highlights the long-term health benefits of breastfeeding for mothers, suggesting it may reduce the risk of heart attacks even decades later.
The research, conducted by a team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine, found that women who breastfeed, particularly those diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy, may lower their risk of certain heart concerns.
Dr. Elizabeth Arleo, a breastfeeding advocate and author of the upcoming book "Bye Bye Mama's Milk," emphasized the study's significance. "A stronger immune system, decreased childhood infections and many others," she said, listing the benefits of breastfeeding for babies. Arleo, who breastfed all three of her children, said this study adds to her reasons for supporting breastfeeding.
Dr. Kartik Venkatesh, the senior author of the study and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Ohio State University, explained the findings. "That breastfeeding has a powerful impact on decreasing your risk of having a heart attack, stroke and this impact is decades after you are postpartum and pregnant," he said.
The study analyzed the predicted risk for heart problems in more than 4,500 women at both 10 and 30 years after delivery. Researchers discovered that the lifetime risk of cardiovascular complications is lower in those who breastfeed compared to those who do not.
Dr. Venkatesh suggested that the breastfeeding mechanism itself might be responsible for these benefits. "With regard to inflammation, oxidative stress, your lipids or fat cells in your body, they are all being positively impacted through breastfeeding," he said.
Even short-term breastfeeding may offer significant health benefits, according to the study."
Reference:
Obstet Gynecol 2025 May 22;146(1):11-18. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005943.
Association Between Breastfeeding and Long-Term Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Christine Field 1, William A Grobman, Jiqiang Wu, Anna Palatnik, Mark B Landon, Denise Scholtens, William Lowe, Nilay S Shah, Jami Josefson, Sadiya Khan, Kartik K Venkatesh
Affiliations Expand
PMID: 40408182 PMCID: PMC12178817 (available on 2026-05-22) DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005943
Abstract
Objective: To estimate whether breastfeeding is associated with the estimated risk of long-term atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and whether this association varies with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis from the prospective HAPO (Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome) Follow-Up Study. The exposure was any breastfeeding (yes or no). The primary outcomes, measured 10-14 years after delivery with the Framingham Risk Score, were estimated ASCVD risk (composite of fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease and stroke) over the subsequent 10- and 30-year time periods. Multivariable linear regression models were used and adjusted for baseline pregnancy covariates: field center, age, body mass index (BMI), height, smoking and alcohol use, parity, and time from delivery to ASCVD risk assessment. Secondarily, we examined whether the association between breastfeeding and ASCVD varied by GDM status (effect modification).
Results: Of 4,540 individuals, the median age was 30.6 years at baseline. More than three-fourths (79.7%) reported breastfeeding, which did not vary by GDM status (79.5% vs 81.0%). At 10-14 years after delivery (median 11.6 years), individuals who breastfed had a lower estimated risk of ASCVD over the subsequent 10 years (2.3% vs 2.5%, adjusted β -0.13, 95% CI, -0.25 to -0.02) and 30 years (6.2% vs 6.9%, adjusted β -0.36, 95% CI, -0.66 and -0.05). The association between breastfeeding and estimated ASCVD risk varied significantly by GDM status: The protective effect of breastfeeding was greater for individuals with GDM for estimated 10-year ASCVD risk (GDM: adjusted β -0.52, 95% CI, -0.98 and -0.05; no GDM: adjusted β -0.09, 95% CI, -0.20 and -0.02; interaction P =.004) and 30-year ASCVD risk (GDM: adjusted β -1.33, 95% CI, -2.53 and -0.14; no GDM: adjusted β -0.25, 95% CI, -0.54 and 0.03; interaction P =.003).
Conclusion: Breastfeeding, particularly after an individual had GDM, was associated with a lower estimated risk of long-term ASCVD. These findings indicate the potential benefit of breastfeeding for long-term cardiovascular health, especially among those with GDM.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40408182/
https://local12.com/health/health-updates/study-links-breastfeeding-to-long-term-heart-health-benefits-for-mothers
