>Re:  Jan Barger's post on a study with no more information on the
reference:

>exposure to toxins in the  environment was leading to an increase of 

>insufficient mammary tissue -- women  who are in areas of high exposure 

>are at risk of not developing enough functional breast tissue.

 

<Julia R. Barrett's reply:

<Might this be the study? The full text is freely available at the following
link. Altered Breast Development in Young Girls from an Agricultural
Environment <<http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2005/8280/abstract.html>.

 

Lee now:  Julia, this was an interesting study.  Thank you for the link.  I
clicked on "Full HTML" in the upper right hand box and just copied part of
the beginning and part of the end of the study.

 

Abstract
In several human populations, the age at which female breast development
begins is reported to have declined over the last five decades. Much debate
has occurred over whether this reported decline has actually occurred and
what factors contribute to it. However, geographical patterns reflecting
earlier developmental onset in some human populations suggest environmental
factors influence this phenomenon. These factors include interactions
between genetic makeup, nutrition, and possible cumulative exposure to
estrogens, both endogenous as well as environmental beginning during in
utero development. We examined the onset of breast development in a group of
peripubertal girls from the Yaqui Valley of Sonora, Mexico. We observed that
girls from valley towns, areas using modern agricultural practices,
exhibited larger breast fields than those of girls living in the foothills
who exhibited similar stature [e.g., weight, height, body mass index (BMI)
], and genetic background. Further, girls from valley towns displayed a
poorly defined relationship between breast size and mammary gland
development, whereas girls from the Yaqui foothills, where traditional
ranching occurs, show a robust positive relationship between breast size and
mammary size.

 

Discussion

Mammary tissue maturation, necessary for breast-feeding, is an important
question that remains for these girls and requires further investigation.
The shortened period of lactation found by Gladen and Rogan (1995) in
Mexican agriculture-based mothers may be reflective of poor mammary
structure and not solely to blood levels of DDE or other pesticides at the
time of infant delivery. Any adverse alterations in lobular and duct
formation could lead to alterations in breast maturation during pregnancy
followed by adverse effects on lactation. Such alterations would have great
implications for populations that live in poverty, where breast feeding is a
necessity for neonatal survival and health. In addition, the question
remains whether these alterations influence the incidence of disease later
in life, such as obesity or breast cancer. It is critical that mammary gland
growth and development be examined in far more detail in future studies of
puberty in females.

 

Lee again:  As LCs the study can help us understand some of the implications
around the world.  Thanks again to Julia.

Lee Galasso, MS, IBCLC, RLC


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