A new survey shows that although nearly 60% of breast-feeding mothers knew about the link between breast-feeding and breast cancer risk reduction, just 16% say they learned this from a medical professional.

This is concerning, says study principal investigator Bhuvana Ramaswamy, MD, because women should be informed that breast-feeding can reduce breast cancer risk and improve a mother’s health. Epidemiological studies show strong correlation between prolonged breast-feeding and reduced risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of breast cancer. This knowledge is especially relevant for African-American women considering whether to breast-feed, as they are two times more likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer when compared with women of other ethnicities.

“We have a duty as a medical community to ensure our patients have reliable knowledge,” said Ramaswamy, breast medical oncology division director at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). “When it comes from a professional, medical information is much more likely to affect people’s choices. When it comes to breast cancer specifically, prevention is the best outcome.”

For this study, OSUCCC – James researchers conducted a survey of 724 women who had at least one live birth. Survey respondents were recruited through the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center primary care practices and a national clinical research registry.

While a majority of respondents—92%—reported that they had chosen to breast-feed, only 56% of all respondents noted that they were aware of the link between prolonged breast-feeding and breast cancer risk reduction prior to making the decision. Among those that did not breast-feed, 59% say that knowledge of this risk reduction would have impacted their decision to breast-feed.

The data were published in the medical journal Breastfeeding Medicine.