My name is Bev Dufner, and I am a nursing student at the University of North Dakota.  I am interested in the effects breast feeding have on the cardiovascular system.  I am interested in this topic because I have always been an advocate for breast feeding.   I nursed all three of my children until they were at least one year of age, knowing I was giving them optimal nutrition, while reducing the risk of infection and helping their cognitive development being among two of the benefits of breast feeding.  I wanted to find out more about the cardiovascular benefits of breastfeeding.  According to Martaugh(1997), one article I that I read stated, the reduction in acute infant morbidity apparently achieved by breastfeeding distinguishes human milk as the superior form of infant nutrition through at least the first year of life.
        I have reviewed some conflicting research in regards to cardiovascular health after an individual has been breast fed.  One study suggests that longer duration of breast feeding (more than 4 months) was associated with less arterial distensibility, leaving individuals at risk later in life for cardiac ischemia (Leeson & Lucas,2001).  In a second study, blood pressure was shown to be significantly raised in children aged 6 to 10 if they were exclusively breast fed for more than 15 weeks.  Also, blood pressure was higher in adolescents if they were breast fed for more than four months.  In contrast to these studies, it was shown that a shorter duration of breast feeding was associated with obesity in children and adolescents, again, leaving them at risk for poor cardiovascular health (Barker, Blecker, Meulen, Osmond, & Raavelli, 2000).
        I would enjoy any feedback on this topic of interest.  What do you think about  the literature cited about cardiovascular risks with breastfeeding?  Do the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the potential suggested risks later in life?  For example, if a child is already genetically at risk for heart disease, could breast feeding enhance or prevent this?

References

Barker,D.J.P, Blecker, O.P., Meulen, J.H.P, Osmond, Dl, Raavelli, A.C.J. (2000) Infant
        Feeding and Adult glucose tolerance, lipid profile, blood pressure and obesity.
        Archives of Disease in Childhood, 82:248-252.
Leeson, C.P.M. & Lucas, A. (2001) Duration of breastfeeding and arterial distensibility  
        in early adult life: population based study.  BMJ, 322:643-647.
Murtaugh, Maureen A. (1997) Optimal breast feeding duration.  Journal of the American 
        Dietetic Association, (11) 1252.

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