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BREASTFEEDING REDUCES RISK OF BREAST CANCER

Washington, DC—   As the country recognizes National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, one protective factor often goes unmentioned: the reduction in the risk of breast cancer shown in women who have breastfed their infants. Many Americans hear that breast cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed and second most deadly cancer among women. Similarly, when discussing breast self-exams with their patients, many physicians quote the statistic that one out of every eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. Yet many still do not realize that multiple studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces the risk of breast cancer, in addition to lifestyle changes such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol intake, and avoiding smoking.

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