We all know that breastfeeding is one of the best ways of keeping newborns healthy, but a new study suggests that it has a much bigger health impact: it can lower the risk of childhood leukemia.
Leukemia, or cancer of the blood, is one of the most common types of cancer afflicting children, although when compared to other cancers, it is considered to be rare. According to MD Anderson Cancer Center, at least 3,500 children in the United States are diagnosed with any of the different types of childhood leukemia annually with a survival rate of between 60% and 85% depending on the type.
According to the new study, which is now available in JAMA Pediatrics, by breastfeeding the baby for at least half a year can reduce the risk of leukemia later by around 19%.
The research, conducted by two doctors from the University of Haifa in Israel, Dr. Lital Keinan-Boker and Efrat Amitay, looked into past literature, more than 15 of them, all of which were about the relationship between childhood leukemia and breastfeeding to come up with such conclusion.
Although in the end they were not able to pinpoint the exact reason why the breast milk that can help fight the blood disorder, they go on saying that the milk is composed of components that boost the immune system, creating the necessary defense against any type of threat that may later lead into cancer.
Despite the positive results of the study, other doctors disagree with them, saying that the link between the two has been a common subject for many years. Yet until now there's not enough strong claim that can establish such relationship. They also believe that ALL (acute lymphobastic leukemia), which is the type of leukemia focused in the study, is uncommon.
By refuting the evidence presented in the study, the other experts hope to reduce the fear and worry from mothers who cannot or won't breastfeed.
