Click on the links below for more information about breast health and breast screening.
From childhood to old age, a woman's breasts go through many changes.
Breast health includes knowing about these changes.
Stage 1: elevation of nipple only
Stage 2: little bud of breast tissue under the nipple and enlargement of areolar diameter (it can be itchy and sometimes painful)
(menstruation usually starts 1 –2 years after the start of breast development)
Stage 3: further enlargement and elevation of breast and areola
Stage 4: areola and nipple project above the level of breast to form a secondary mound
Stage 5: mature breast; only nipple projects
The rate of breast growth will vary greatly between girls and some may notice that one breast will develop quicker than the other. As stated earlier, breasts come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. For some girls breast development will seem to take forever while for others it seems to occur overnight.
During the menstrual cycle, the circulating hormones prepare the breast for a potential pregnancy. The estrogen causes an increase in ductal tissue and progresterone has its effect on lobular tissue. These cyclical changes contribute to the symptoms some women experience such as swelling and tenderness but the exact mechanism is not known.
Breasts have not completed their development until the woman has been through a full-term pregnancy. The effects of pregnancy are so immediate that many women complain of breast tenderness before they’ve missed a period. Changes that can be expected include the breasts becoming larger and firmer with darker areolas and larger erect nipples. The skin will appear thinner which makes the veins more prominent.
Milk production depends on the presence of the hormones prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin levels in the mother’s body peak at the time of birth. Once the baby is born, the breasts will automatically begin to produce milk. The milk will take 3 – 5 days to come in but before that a pre-milk, or colostrum, is available for the baby. Colostrum is filled with important antibodies for the baby to help fight infection. It is a parting gift from mother to babe. Oxytocin is responsible for the delivery of the milk. This hormone only exists in the body during suckling. When the baby sucks, the brain releases oxytocin which acts on the breasts to release the milk. This ‘letdown’ comes from the stores of milk within the breast. As the stores are used, more is made ready for the next time. Continued breastfeeding is dependent on this demand and supply process.
For breastfeeding education and consultation services at the Health Unit
call 625-5916
With the absence of ovarian hormones, the breast tissue decreases and more fat is found in the breast. Many women will complain that their breasts have lost their firmness and that they have begun to sag. These changes occur because the breasts are no longer needed to produce milk.
If you choose to take Hormone Replacement Therapy, you need to be aware that, for some women, HRT can add to breast tenderness. It may also affect the thickness of the breast tissue, which in turn can make it harder for doctors to read the mammogram. If you have a family history of Breast Cancer, HRT can add to your risk.
Some risk factors for breast cancer can not be changed. These include the following: