The Head of the Department of Community Health at the University of Ghana Medical School, Prof. Benedict Calys-Tagoe, has debunked the misconception that sucking a woman’s breast can prevent breast cancer, describing such claims as misinformation rooted in a lack of proper health education.
His comments come in the wake of recurring narratives during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, where it is wrongly believed that sucking a woman’s breast offers protection against the disease—a notion often falsely attributed to medical professionals.
Speaking on the Research and Innovation Agenda show on Radio Univers, Prof. Calys-Tagoe stressed that the act offers no protection. Rather, it is the hormonal changes during and after breastfeeding that reduce the risk of breast cancer.
“That misconception comes from the hormonal changes during breastfeeding. Studies show that 12 consecutive months of breastfeeding can reduce breast cancer risk by about 4.3%. It is not the act itself, but these hormonal changes that provide the protection,” he stated.
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Story by Matilda Osei Akoto | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
