Breastfeeders who use a nipple pumping system will be expected to be more likely to give birth, according to a new study.
Breastfeeding and breast cancer are linked, and the use of nipple pumps, a type of pumping device, has been associated with higher risk for breast cancer.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the University at Albany analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES.
The survey was conducted between 1991 and 1993.
“We found that breast feeding increased the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer by 7% when compared to women who did not breastfeed,” lead researcher Dr. Anne Pemberton said.
“It’s important to remember that we are looking at only women who are breast feeding at the time, so if you are nursing and you are not breast feeding, it is not a big risk.”
Dr. Pembert said the results are important because it could point to a possible protective effect of nipple pumping on breast cancer risk.
The study looked at 1,038 women between the ages of 18 and 39 years old who were followed for up to seven years and recorded the types of pumping devices used.
The study also included information on whether they used a pump or a tube.
The researchers compared the rates of breast cancer, other types of cancers and other diseases related to the type of device used.
They found that women who used a nipple system had a slightly higher risk of breast cancers than those who did it using a tube or a pump.
They found that the most common type of breast implants were those used by people with lower socioeconomic status.
Those with less than $15,000 per year in annual income had a higher risk.
Women who used the breast pumping device had a 10% higher risk, while those using a pump had a 23% higher rate.
Researchers also found that men were at a higher breast cancer incidence risk than women.
The breast pump use was associated with a 2% higher incidence of breast carcinoma.
Women also had a 2.5% higher breast cancers and a 2,5% lower risk of prostate cancer.
The research found that using a pumping device was associated more with increased risk for other types.
“Our findings suggest that the use by women of a pump may have a higher protective effect on the overall breast cancer rate, even after accounting for breast characteristics and other factors,” Dr. Paberton said in a statement.
“More research is needed to determine the exact role that pumping devices play in breast cancer and other breast cancers, but we are encouraged by the results of this study.”
The results were published online today in the journal Breast Cancer Research.
Dr. David J. Siegel, a researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told ABC News that nipple pumping is still a relatively new technology, but that it’s important that more studies are conducted to determine whether the breast pumps used by women are actually associated with the increased risk of cancer.
“The study does indicate that women using breast pumps may be more at risk for a wide variety of cancers, including cancer of the prostate and colon,” Dr Siegel said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that women use a pumping system.
The AAP said it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor before using a breast pump and also discuss with your provider whether the pump may be a good option for you.