Heads-Up: Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Pam Stephan, About's Guide to Breast Cancer, just wrote a fantastic profile on Triple Negative Breast Cancer. So, why is the Breastfeeding Guide mentioning it?

As Pam mentions in her piece, Blacks, Latinos, and Asians are at greater risk of developing this form of breast cancer. The studies are showing two factors that appear to contribute to a higher risk only amongst Latinas: a shorter period of breastfeeding and three or more full-term pregnancies. For Blacks and Asians, this doesn't seem to make a difference.

As always, try to breastfeed for as long as possible. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months, at which point we introduce complementary foods, then continuing to a year or for as long as is mutually agreeable between you and your baby.