Sagging breasts not caused by breastfeeding

7 November, 2007

Contrary to fears of some nursing mothers, breastfeeding does not lead to sagging breasts.

Researchers at a plastic surgery clinic at the University of Kentucky, the United States, studied 93 women who have had at least one pregnancy and had an average age of 39.

Of them, 54 women had breastfed at least one child, for an average of nine months. There was no significant difference in breast sagging between these women and the 39 mothers who did not breastfeed.

The results of the study were presented in the first week of November 2007 at a conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

However, the study revealed that factors other than breastfeeding did increase the likelihood of sagging breasts – such as age, obesity, more pregnancies, larger pre-pregnancy cup size, and smoking.

Dr Brian Rinker and colleagues reported at the conference of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that “these findings support the assertion of pediatricians and lactation specialists that breastfeeding does not adversely affect breast shape.”

Dr Rinker, a reconstructive surgeon and leader of the study, says it was the first time that anyone had investigated properly the link between breastfeeding and breast sagging. He added, “Women may be reluctant to breastfeed because of this unfounded myth that doing so means the end of youthful breasts. Now expectant mothers can relax.”

Breasts get bigger during pregnancy, and tend not to return entirely to their original shapes. Hence pregnancy alone appears to be the cause of breast sagging, and not breastfeeding, researchers concluded.

The women who took part in the study had sought breast implants, breast lifts or both procedures. Researchers analyzed standardized photos taken before the procedures.

Breast sagging – technically called ptosis – was measured on a 0-to-3 scale, with 0 representing no sagging (nipple is higher than the skin fold beneath the breast), and 3 representing extreme sagging (nipple points straight down).

A possible weakness of the study is that the participants might not be representative of the general population, Dr Brian Rinker said.

In 2006, an estimated 103,788 women in the United States have had breast lifts, a whopping 96% increase over 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

In the breast lift procedure, the plastic surgeon raises and reshapes sagging breasts by removing excess skin and repositioning the remaining tissue as well as the nipples.

Risks linked to the breast lift procedure include thick scars, infection, uneven nipples and permanent loss of feeling in the nipple or breast. In addition, gravity, pregnancy, ageing and weight changes can cause new sagging.