From:    Sandra Steingraber <[log in to unmask]>

# PBDE is known to cause brain damage in newborn mice and has hormonal
effects in rats. The compounds are also thought to be connected with
spontaneous abortions and changes to the immune system. /---/ No one
knows yet if levels of PBDE in human milk is sufficient to cause
health problems in nursed human babies.  The studies have not been
done. #

Swedish researchers Lennart Hardell and Gunilla Lindstrom (o with two
dots above it) have declared that breastfeeding increases the risk of
lympha gland cancer.

In an article in the Swedish Cancer and Allergy Foundation's magazine
(in the web) it says among other things (this is my translation from
Swedish):

"Environmental pollutants in breastmilk should not be accepted.
Without doubt, breastmilk is nature's best 'invention' for children's
growth and development. /---/ In studies made in the 1980's in USA the
researchers found that children whose mothers ate a lot of fish (PCB)
had delay both in their motor development and intellectual
development."

Hardell and Lindstrom had two study groups. One with 835 children who
had cancer and another group with 860 children without cancer. Of the
children with cancer, only 28 ones had not been breastfed, and of the
children without cancer, 32 ones. They divided the children according
to the length of breastfeeding into groups: breastfed for 0 - 1
months, 1 - 6 months and longer than 6 months. The first group,
breastfed for 0 - 1 months, was kept as the non-exposed group,
although it is impossible to find completely non-exposed control group
(because the pollutants are everywhere and fetuses are exposed to them
already).

The results did not show an increased risk of all cancers, but it did
show a 5 times greater risk of lympha gland cancer (a
non-Hodgkin-lymphom type) in the group breastfed for 1 - 6 months. The
risk of lympha gland cancer was 7 times greater in the group breastfed
for longer than 6 months.

The risk of 'mjukdelssarkom' (soft tissue sarcoma?) was 2 - 3 times
greater, but was not statistically significant.

The children in their study were breastfed during years 1974 - 1991.

The article says also that the incidence of children's cancers has
increased during the past years by 1 % annually. /---/ Since the
1970's the levels of brominated flame retardants in the breastmilk
have doubled every 5 years.

Hardell and Lindstrom say, however, that there is no reason to limit
breastfeeding. Instead, the continuation of environmental pollution
(poisons) should be prevented.

Sanna-Mari, Rasmus 99 & someone 5/02
a mom-to-mom bf support group leader
Finland, Scandinavia

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