Breastfeeding linked to lower anxiety in later life, study finds

Breastfeeding is linked to lower anxiety and depression over 10 years, a recent study suggests.

The research followed 168 women from a Dublin maternity hospital, finding that those who had breastfed at some point were less likely to experience mental health problems at the 10-year follow-up.

Depression or anxiety was reported by 13.1 per cent of women at the end of the study and by 20.8 per cent at one or more points during the study period.

Women reporting these conditions were less likely to have breastfed and had shorter durations of both exclusive breastfeeding (only breast milk) and total breastfeeding.

After adjusting for baseline differences, ever breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of anxiety and depression.

Longer exclusive breastfeeding and cumulative breastfeeding of at least 12 months were also linked to reduced likelihood of these conditions.

Each additional week of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a small but significant reduction in risk.

Nearly three-quarters of participants reported having breastfed at some point.

The median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 5.5 weeks, while the median duration of any breastfeeding was 30.5 weeks.

The researchers suggested potential explanations include biological effects of lactation hormones such as oxytocin, which promotes bonding and can reduce anxiety, as well as reduced risk of metabolic disease and protection against postnatal depression.

The correlation between breastfeeding and decreased postnatal depression is well established, but this study suggests the association may extend beyond the postnatal period.

However, the researchers noted limitations including the small sample size and a relatively homogenous cohort.

The observational design means causality cannot be inferred, and they called for larger, more diverse studies to validate the findings.