Study: Breastfeeding Not a Cause of Sagging Breasts

A study presented today at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2007 Conference indicates that sagging breasts are not caused by breastfeeding. The study indicates that breastfeeding has no influence on a woman's breast shape, although other factors such as age and a high BMI did.

This small study followed 93 women electing to get cosmetic surgery after at least one pregnancy. Fifty-five percent of the women who participated in the study said that their breast shape had changed after becoming pregnant. Fifty-eight percent of the women also said that they had breastfed after pregnancy.

Out of the women who breastfed, the time varied widely, from 2 months to 25 months. According to the study, the average time a women in the study spent breastfeeding was nine months.

"Many women who come in for breast surgery tell us their breasts are sagging, drooping or are less full because they breastfed," explains Brian Rinker, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and the author of the study in a press release. "Although the amount of sagging in the breasts appears to increase with each pregnancy, we've found that breastfeeding does not worsen the effect."

However, there are some factors that increase the chance of sagging breasts. A higher BMI and larger bra size before pregnancy increased the chance that the breast would sag. Also, smoking history, the number of pregnancies, and age also affected the risk factors of getting sagging breasts.

Factors that did not affect whether or not the women had sagging breasts were the number of children that were breastfed and the amount of time spent breastfeeding each child. Also, the amount of weight gained during pregnancy apparently had no affect on long term breast shape.

"Women may be reluctant to breastfeed because of this unfounded myth that doing so means the end of youthful breasts," hypothesized Dr. Rinker in a press release from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "Now, expectant mothers can relax knowing breastfeeding does not change the appearance of their breasts," he continued.

Although the concern may seem like a low priority for some, breast lifts have increased 96 percent in six years according to statistics collected by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. It is estimated that 104,000 women had breast lifts in 2006.

Breastfeeding encourages overall good health and development in infants. Studies also indicate that there is far less risk of developing serious illness if the infant is breastfed instead of being bottle fed.

SOURCES:

American Society of Plastic Surgeons. "Breastfeeding Does Not Create Sagging Breasts; Study Throws Out Old Wives' Tale." PR Newswire