Breastfeeding linked with reduced risk of depression and anxiety for mothers, study suggests – The Irish Times

Breastfeeding may lower mothers’ later-life risks of depression and anxiety for up to 10 years after pregnancy, a new study suggests.

The researchers said it is not clear if these lowered risks might persist in the longer term.

The findings are included in a small observational study, published in the BMJ Open medical journal.

The breastfeeding behaviour and health of 168 second-time mothers who were originally part of the ROLO Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study, conducted at the National Maternity Hospital for 10 years, were tracked.

All the women had given birth to a child weighing under 4kg and they and their children had check-ups three months, six months, two years, five years and 10 years after birth – by which time the mothers’ average age was 42.

At each check-up, the mothers completed a detailed health history questionnaire.

Nearly three-quarters of the women reported having breastfed at some point. The average period of exclusive breastfeeding lasted 5½ weeks and that of any breastfeeding for 30½ weeks.

More than a third reported cumulative periods of breastfeeding adding up to at least 12 months.

Twenty-two (13 per cent) of the women reported depression/anxiety at the 10-year check-up, with a further 35 (21 per cent) reporting depression or anxiety at any time point.

Those reporting depression/anxiety at the 10-year check-up were younger, less physically active, and had lower wellbeing scores at the start of the study than those who didn’t report this. Those women reporting depression and anxiety at any time point differed only by age at the start of the study.

Analysis of the data showed that women experiencing depression and anxiety 10 years after pregnancy were less likely to have breastfed and had shorter periods of any or exclusive breastfeeding over their lifetime.

Each week of lifetime exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a two per cent lower likelihood of reporting depression and anxiety, after accounting for potentially influential factors, including alcohol intake.

The researchers said as it is an observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect and also acknowledged that participants were relatively few in number, not ethnically or socially diverse. They said the study relied on personal recall rather than objective measures of depression/anxiety.

“We suggest there also may be a protective effect of successful breastfeeding on post-partum depression and anxiety, which in turn lowers the risk of maternal depression and anxiety in the longer term,” they said.

“The likelihood is that the association is multifactorial, as many socioeconomic and cultural factors influence both breastfeeding and mental health in addition to the impact of health history.

“Additionally, women with a prior history of depression and anxiety are at risk of lower breastfeeding success, compounding the association but in the reverse direction.”