Lactation and Maternal Measures of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease
- 1 January 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Vol. 115 (1), 41-48
- https://doi.org/10.1097/aog.0b013e3181c5512a
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between lactation and subclinical cardiovascular disease in a population free of clinical cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 297 women who reported at least one live birth on enrollment in the Study of Women Across the Nation–Heart Study. Participants were mothers aged 45–58 years who were free of clinical cardiovascular disease. History of lactation was self-reported. Electron beam tomography was used to assess coronary and aortic calcification. B-mode ultrasonography was used to assess carotid adventitial diameter, intima–media thickness, and carotid plaque. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate whether lactation was independently associated with markers of subclinical cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: In unadjusted models, compared with mothers who had breastfed all of their children for at least 3 months, mothers who had not breastfed were more likely to have coronary artery calcification (17% compared with 32%), aortic calcification (17% compared with 39%), carotid plaque (10% compared with 18%), and larger carotid adventitial diameters (mean±standard deviation 6.63±0.59 compared with 6.87±0.60 mm). After adjusting for measures of socioeconomic status and lifestyle and family history variables, mothers who had not breastfed remained more likely to have aortic calcification (odds ratio [OR] 3.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47–10.00) and coronary artery calcification (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.05–7.14) than mothers who had consistently breastfed. After further adjustment for body mass index and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, mothers who had not breastfed remained more likely to have aortic calcification than mothers who had consistently breastfed (OR 5.26, 95% CI 1.47–20.00). CONCLUSION: Mothers who do not breastfeed their infants seem to be at increased risk of vascular changes associated with future cardiovascular disease. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IIKeywords
This publication has 35 references indexed in Scilit:
- Prolactin and Preclinical Atherosclerosis in Menopausal Women With Cardiovascular Risk FactorsHypertension, 2009
- Clinical and Research Applications of Carotid Intima-Media ThicknessThe American Journal of Cardiology, 2009
- Duration of lactation and incidence of myocardial infarction in middle to late adulthoodAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2008
- Hot Flashes and Subclinical Cardiovascular DiseaseCirculation, 2008
- Duration of lactation is associated with lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in midlife—SWAN, the study of women’s health across the nationAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2008
- Duration of breast-feeding and the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Shanghai Women’s Health StudyDiabetologia, 2007
- Common carotid artery wall thickness and external diameter as predictors of prevalent and incident cardiac events in a large population studyCardiovascular Ultrasound, 2007
- Does long-term lactation protect premenopausal women against hypertension risk? a Korean women's cohort studyPreventive Medicine, 2005
- Oxytocinergic activity is linked to lower blood pressure and vascular resistance during stress in postmenopausal women on estrogen replacementHormones and Behavior, 2005
- Maternal Recall of Breastfeeding Duration by Elderly WomenAmerican Journal of Epidemiology, 2005