Breastfeeding history is associated with women's health: Evidence and implications for practice and policy

The relationship between breastfeeding extent and duration with short- and long-term women's health is a national concern.

Our team of women's health and breastfeeding experts provides recommendations and reviews the relationship between breastfeeding extent and duration with short- and long-term health in women.

We provide policy-based recommendations at multiple level focused on promoting breastfeeding in all postpartum women to ultimately achieve better women's health.

The short-term relationships of lactation to women's health are generally well known. The long-term relationships, while somewhat controversial, may be an important influence in several health conditions, including cancers, heart disease, metabolic disease and hypertension.

The significance of effects or lactational history on women's health deserves attention and actions to promote breastfeeding. While the infant benefits are undisputed, both short- and long-term effects of not breastfeeding on women's health could be a cause for high morbidity and mortality and health care costs.