新奇事件簿 母乳喂养的母亲老年时更健康（在线收听）

Women who breastfeed could lower their risk of having a heart attack and stroke when they get older. They may also reduce their chances of getting diabetes and of having high blood pressure. This is the claim of a new study from the University of Pittsburgh in America. Researchers surveyed nearly 140,000 middle-aged mothers. They asked the women, all in their 50s, about their breastfeeding history. They found that mothers who had breastfed for more than a year were up to 20 per cent less likely to suffer from heart attacks and strokes. The team also found that breastfeeding for just a month benefited a mother’s long-term health. Breast milk also protects the baby against obesity, diabetes, asthma and increases a baby’s immunity and intelligence.

提供母乳喂养的母亲老年时患心脏病和中风的风险较低。她们患糖尿病和高血压的风险也会降低。这是美国匹兹堡大学一项最新研究的结论。研究人员调查了近14万名中年母亲。这些母亲年龄都是50多岁，调查人员询问了她们的母乳喂养历史。他们发现，母乳喂养超过一年的母亲患心脏病和中风的风险低20%。研究团队还发现，仅仅母乳喂养一个月也有益母亲的长期身体健康。母乳还能防止婴儿肥胖，糖尿病，哮喘，增强婴儿的免疫力和智力。

Researcher Dr Eleanor Schwarz said: “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, so it is vitally important for us to know what we can do to protect ourselves.” She explained her study could encourage more mothers to breastfeed, and so keep mother and child healthier. “We've known for years that breastfeeding is important for babies' health. Now we know that it is important for mothers' health as well,” she said. Dr Schwartz noted that breastfeeding helped a woman’s body to recover after giving birth. She said: "Breastfeeding is an important part of the way women's bodies recover from pregnancy. When this process is interrupted, women are more likely to have a number of health problems."

研究员Eleanor Schwarz表示：“心脏病是导致女性死亡的首要原因，所以知道如何保护自己至关重要。”她解释说，她的研究可以鼓励更多母亲母乳喂养，让母亲和孩子更健康。“多年来我们都知道母乳喂养对婴儿的健康来说非常重要。现在，我们知道，母乳喂养对母亲的健康也非常重要，”她说。Schwartz博士指出，母乳喂养可以促进女性生育后身体恢复。她说：“母乳喂养是女性的身体从孕期恢复的重要方法。当这个过程被阻断之后，女性很有可能会面临许多健康问题。”