Do the Different Reasons for Lactation Discontinuation Have Similar Impact on Future Breast Problems?

Background: Breast feeding is considered to be mutually beneficial for both mothers and infants, thoughthe effect of lactation problems on development of breast lesions (whether benign or malignant) is not clear.
Objectives: This study was conducted to identify possible relations between lactation problems and benign andmalignant breast disease. Materials and
Methods: 308 patients referred to two referral breast clinics in Tehran,the capital city of IR Iran, between January 2008 and January 2011, were recruited. They were interviewed by astandard questionnaire regarding breast feeding problems. The study population was classified in 3 major groups;breast feeding without any problem, unwillingness to breast feed according to whether mothers’ preference notto feed or some breast problems like mastitis, and finally insufficient milk that caused the mothers to feed theirbabies with formula.
Results: Recruiting binary logistic regression method, mother’s unwillingness to feed herchild by breast milk, and also breast problems such as mastitis and abscess during lactation period showedsignificant relation with both benign and malignant breast diseases (p value<0.01). Surprisingly, inadequatemilk was not associated with any of these conditions.
Conclusions: We concluded that lactation problems whichinvolve normal milk drainage from the breast may play an important role in whether the mother wll subsequentlydevelope both benign and malignant pathologies. In contrast in the situation that the production of the milk isnot sufficient and there are no intentional or unintentional problems in drainage of the produced milk, futureproblems would not be more common.