Greatest risk reductions for breastfeeding exclusively and for longer time This observational study found that women with gestational diabetes who exclusively breastfed their infants were less likely to develop diabetes than women who used formula. While the analysis adjusted for many confounders, it is possible that women who exclusively breastfeed also engage in other healthful behaviors. In women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), breastfeeding reduced the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes, according to a large prospective cohort study.
Compared to women with GDM who used formula, those who exclusively breastfed were half as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes 2 years post-delivery, reported a team of investigators led by Erica Gunderson, PhD, a researcher in Oakland, California. Previously published studies on the topic yielded conflicting results and did not control…
