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Breastfeeding Bad for the Testicles?
Remember the little study that explored a possible link between breastfeeding and autism? Scientists are adding to the list: they say pesticides showing up in mom’s milk may be causing testicular trouble down the line.
Katie Drummond of True/Slant broke down the study, published in the Journal of Andrology, explaining the scientists were attempting to get to the root of increasing testicular cancer in westernized countries. The Danish researchers opted to compare the breastmilk in women in Denmark, where the rates of testicular cancer are high, with that of moms in Finland, where the testicular cancer rates are significantly lower.
So what did they find? Significantly higher levels of pesticides and PCBs in the milk of Danish moms – which they’re finding could have a devastating affect especially because of the period of development when a baby is ingesting the toxins. Not just testicular cancer, they say, but low sperm counts.
Interesting to note – a study done in Japan on the mothers of men who developed testicular cancer looked at duration of breastfeeding and found no link. But scientists did note an anecdotal link between a mother’s social class and the probability that her son would develop cancer of his testes. The sons of women of a “higher social class,” posed a higher risk. And how does this link back to breastfeeding? The greater percentage of women breastfeeding in Japan are those who fall into that “higher social class,” women who have childcare leave, support from the spouse, etc.
So what does all this mean for American moms? Not much – the risks may be real, but the scientists say the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh them.
So carry on mom. Just go easy on him when he can’t give you grandbabies.
Image: EcoStreet
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[...] Interesting to note – a study done in Japan on the mothers of men who developed testicular cancer looked at duration of breastfeeding and found no link. But scientists did note an anecdotal link between a mother’s social class and the … Original post: Breastfeeding Bad for the Testicles? | Strollerderby [...]
Breastfeeding Bad for the Testicles? | Strollerderby | Testicular Cancer commented on Sep 23 09 at 1:59 pmSarah commented on Sep 23 09 at 12:04 pmAll of these headlines misconstrue the study. If I’m reading it right, it didn’t compare breastfed babies to non-breastfed babies. It correlated cancer rates in an area that has high breastmilk contamination rates with rates in an area with lower contamination rates. Even if correlation equaled causation (the problem could’ve been consumption of contaminated cow’s milk instead!), the proper response would be to reduce the sources of contamination.
PlumbLucky commented on Sep 23 09 at 1:30 pmOh I cannot wait til my MIL gets her mitts on this one…she’ll read the headline only and continue her campaign against breastfeeding because its “nasty and formula’s better!!!!”
patricia commented on Sep 23 09 at 2:42 pmPlumbLucky, the whole “it’s nasty” thing never fails to surprise me. I guess I can kind of understand a mom who might be squicked out by breastfeeding herself, but I just don’t get why anyone else would think it’s gross. So strange to me! And yeah, I’m sure this will be jumped on by the “breast ISN’T best” contingent in about 3 seconds. (I’m not one who thinks formula is poison, lest a formula feeder think I care how he or she feeds their kid. Breast is best but it isn’t for everyone.)
PlumbLucky commented on Sep 23 09 at 3:08 pmIt floored me too, patricia, especially since she told me point blank in the hospital room that “you shouldn’t breastfeed because its nasty, formula’s scientifically better anyways, and I have a right as Grandma to feed my grandchild”. That was day two of my son’s life. It’s been a non-ending battle royale ever since…well, maybe a battle royale is an overstatement, as she really doesn’t get a say in it, but its been a stressful as hell discussion with her, constantly. Hubs finally told her that she was unwelcome to express that sentiment in our house, and to leave us be and respect our parenting decisions.
patricia commented on Sep 23 09 at 3:37 pmGood for your husband! I cannot imagine how stressful, at an already stressful time. So, so weird. I guess maybe it’s an older generation perspective? Since (as we all know) we were all raised on formula and (say it with me) we turned out just fine. My mom tried to breastfeed me and my husband’s mom breastfed him; my own grandma is a retired L&D nurse who breastfed all 8(!) of her kids, so I never had the family pressure not to breastfeed. (My MIL actually pushed me to breastfeed more publicly- she didn’t like that I was a little shy with my newborn around my FIL. That was the time when wearing a shirt hurt, though. I’m pretty sure I never want to be topless around my FIL.) Anyway, awesome for your hubby for standing up for you like that!
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Sep 23 09 at 9:53 pmWow, PlumbLucky. I cannot imagine such horrible behavior from a family member. And big props to your hubby.
PlumbLucky commented on Sep 24 09 at 7:39 amIts a mixed bag – I was breastfed for a while (Mom was on high BP meds and eventually couldn’t BF me and pumps were lousy in the 70s), my sisters and brother were as well. My MIL says she tried to BF my hubby, but her milk never came in and he was hungry every two hours and she couldn’t get up to feed him every two hours he had to go eight. (What? Who the hell told her that????) So its almost as if by breastfeeding I’m “picking on her” or something, although in reality, I could give two $hits how someone feeds their baby so long as the baby is fed! I can do it, I do not wish to spend the $$$ on formula when I can do it, my son’s doctor is all for it what with my family’s history of allergies and such, therefore…duh.
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Sep 24 09 at 7:23 pmPlumbLucky, U R PlumbAwesome.
Ali commented on Sep 25 09 at 2:16 pmWho cares about testicles? All that matters is my birth experience and my perfect food producing breasts and the high I get from feeds. It makes me feel important.
karmamama commented on Sep 25 09 at 3:07 pmBitter much, Ali? Wow.
Rosana commented on Sep 25 09 at 3:18 pmThere is always going to be people talking out of the a** about BF without knowing anything about it. I will BF all my babies as long as I can because I do not think breastmilk can do worst damage than tainted formula (like from China) and besides, how can formula be better if manufacturers are always trying to add vitamins and nutrients to make it as similar as possible to breastmilk?
mamazee commented on Sep 25 09 at 8:17 pmas far as i’m concerned, this has zero to do about the breast/bottle thing – this should make all moms crazy with rage over environmental pollution that it’s come this far! What will it take for huge major changes in industry? We are poisoning our land, our water, and even breastmilk?
justhadtosay commented on Sep 30 09 at 9:54 pmmamazee, you are right on. This makes me angry about the environmental toxins that impact our babies and us in so many ways. BFing has little to do with this … what about the PCBs in general!
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