Breastfeeding for six months or more is associated with a lower risk of leukemia in a baby, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics
Leukemia accounts for 30 percent of all cancers found in children. However, little is known about its causes.
Researchers at the University of Haifa in Israel looked at 18 studies looking at the effects of breastfeeding on the risk of childhood leukemia. After comparing all the data, they found that the risk of cancer was 19 percent. lower in babies who have been breastfed for six months or more compared to babies who have not been breastfed at all or have been breastfed for less than six months.
Breast milk contains many immunologically active ingredients and anti-inflammatory factors that influence the development of the baby’s immune system. However, it is worth doing more detailed research to understand the biological mechanisms behind this relationship, the researchers note.
According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, breastfeeding should last at least until the child’s second year of life, and complementary food should be included from the sixth month of life.