Breastfeeding less likely after boob job

Women who have breast implants are less likely to breastfeed than those who have not had surgery, a study shows.

Researchers tracked more than 378,000 women who gave birth in NSW between 2006 and 2011. Of those 892 had breast implants.

They found one in five women who underwent breast augmentation were unable or unwilling to breastfeed their babies, compared to one in 10 women who had not had such surgery.

The researchers from the Kolling Institute and the University of Sydney said their findings should be provided to women contemplating breast augmentation surgery.

But the reason why women with breast implants are less likely to breastfeed are unclear, they said.

The researchers provided some possible reasons:

- that ducts, glandular tissue or nerves in the breast were damaged during or after surgery.

- that women fear they will transmit silicone or other implant materials into the breast milk

- that they are concerned breastfeeding could undo a satisfactory augmentation result.

HOW POPULAR ARE BOOB JOBS?

- It's the most common plastic surgical procedure

- 8000 women underwent the procedure in 2011

- In Australia, this surgery increased by 150 per cent between 2001 and 2011

- In the UK rates increased by 200 per cent from 2005 to 2013

WHY BREASTFEED?

- It protects babies against diarrhoea, respiratory tract and other infant infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

- It reduces the mother's risk of type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.