Testing people for pollutants

Traditionally, American women have been far less likely to breast-feed compared with other cultures, despite the many health and economic advantages associated with nursing. However, researchers reported in December that 69.5% of mothers now breast-feed in the early postpartum period -- the highest levels in at least half a century in this country -- and rates are rising by 2% per year.

Barbara Brenner, executive director of Breast Cancer Action, a San Francisco-based breast-cancer advocacy organization, says her group withdrew its support for the biomonitoring legislation after becoming concerned about the potential impact of the studies on breast-feeding.

"We were hearing increasingly from people working with new mothers about the challenges, particularly in the United States, with getting people to breast-feed at all," Brenner says. "We are concerned that an emphasis on breast-milk biomonitoring is going to make that problem worse, not better."

Dozens of studies point to the benefits of breast-feeding. For babies, breast-feeding has been linked to enhanced immunity; resistance to infection and allergies; a lowered risk of obesity, diabetes and several childhood diseases, and higher intelligence.

Breast-feeding appears to be good for mothers too. Studies show that breast-feeding for one year or longer can reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Biomonitoring proponents say the studies can be accomplished without affecting breast-feeding rates. For example, the state Senate bill would include funding for public education to explain that breast-feeding -- even with contaminated milk -- is still the best choice for infant nutrition.

It's even possible that the nutritious components in human breast milk help protect a baby from exposure to pollutants. Any substances in a mother's body is likely be transferred to a fetus via the bloodstream, experts say. Breast-feeding, though it can transfer toxic substances, is considered such an ideal food for babies that it may help fight cell damage caused by in utero chemical exposure.

"The little we do know is it looks like any damage [from pollutants] happens to the fetus in utero and breast-feeding tends to reverse that damage," Hooper says.

Rizzo, of the Breast Cancer Fund, notes that biomonitoring has not caused a decline in breast-feeding in Sweden. Yet the discovery of toxic flame-retardant chemicals in breast milk led to a swift ban on the chemicals in that nation.