Extended breastfeeding has greater protection against maternal hypertension

Takeaway

• The protective effect of breastfeeding against the development of maternal hypertension varies with duration of breastfeeding.
• Breastfeeding for >12 months has greater protective effect vs <12 months.

Why this matters

• Protection from hypertension adds to number of beneficial effects breastfeeding extends to mothers.
• Promoting breastfeeding can potentially reduce the risk for maternal hypertension.

Study design

• Meta-analysis evaluated association between duration of breastfeeding and maternal hypertension in 7 studies including 444,759 participants until August 2017.
• Duration of breastfeeding: nonbreastfeeding, >0-6, >6-12, and >12 months.
• Funding: None disclosed.

Key results

• Women who had breastfed had lower risk for hypertension vs those who had not (pooled OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.91-0.95).

• The risk decreased with increasing duration of breastfeeding vs no breastfeeding:
  • >0-6 months, pooled OR, 0.92 (95% CI, 0.88-0.96);
  • >6-12 months, pooled OR, 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86-0.92).
• Risk for hypertension was higher in women who had not breastfed vs those who breastfed for >12 months (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.17-1.52).

Limitations

• Heterogeneity across studies.
• Retrospective studies included.