The breast plays three important roles in a woman’s life: breastfeeding, sexuality and aesthetics. The breast has to fulfill the function of breastfeeding during the reproduction of offspring, the function of sexual contact with the opposite sex, and the function of maintaining the appearance of a woman’s beautiful body. How many women in contemporary society are unaware of their breasts throughout their lives? The pain of puberty, the change in the cycle of sexual maturity, the enlargement during pregnancy, the swelling and pain during lactation, the shrinkage during menopause, the fear and stumbling throughout life, how important a healthy pair of breasts is for women!
Breast changes in women at various ages
Newborn period
Embryonic breast development is the same in both males and females, with a tiny seed buried beneath the nipple. Both boys and girls are affected by maternal hormones in the mother’s womb and may have enlarged breasts at birth, the size of a pea or pigeon’s egg, and may even have a small amount of milk production. Most in 2-3 weeks gradually recede, this is a normal physiological phenomenon Oh! Many women tell their doctors that the elders in their old families ask to squeeze out their milk and squeeze their nipples, which is totally wrong! It will cause nipple infection and affect the child’s breast development!
Young child period
The newborn to about 10 years old is called the young child period, when all the gonads and reproductive organs are in a state of rest, and the breasts are also in a state of rest. Due to the improved standard of living and the high content of various sex hormones in food nowadays, breast development is occasionally found in girls as young as 9 years old.
Puberty
After puberty begins, female hormones are secreted, ovarian function is enhanced, breasts are stimulated by hormones and begin to develop and become fuller, and girls experience significant pain, enlarged nipples, and increased areola pigmentation during this period. It is not uncommon for girls between the ages of 10 and 12 to have asymmetrical breast enlargement on both sides. This is not a disease, and this asymmetry is able to correct itself during growth and development. Two abnormal conditions can occur during this period.
1, too much breast stimulation during puberty can appear as abnormal enlargement of both breasts, while the breast tissue within the breast is overly sensitive to hormones can likewise make breast enlargement particularly pronounced, which is called gigantomastia.
2. If the stimulation-induced enlargement is in just one area, the wild growth of tissue in that area can cause – fibroids.
One of the doubts people have about the size of their breasts can be explained here – why do some people have large breasts and others have small breasts? The reason is related to the sensitivity and responsiveness of the breasts to hormonal stimulation, as well as to the number of initiating cells (i.e., the number of seeds) inside the breast.
Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity begins at the age of 18 and lasts for nearly 30 years. This is the period when the mammary glands change in response to the cyclical changes of sex hormones. Under the stimulation of sex hormones, the morphology and, histological structure of the mature breast keeps increasing in size and softening with the menstrual cycle. A typical lesion during this period is the formation of mastopexy.
Definition of mammary hyperplasia: The development of the disease is closely related to endocrine and is a breast manifestation of endocrine disorders. The result of incomplete proliferation and repair of the breast under the action of hormones. Breast pain and menstrual cycle changes are related, while the increased secretion of estrogen and the relative decrease of progesterone in women, or the increase of prolactin in women is also the main cause of this this problem.
Measures to prevent hyperplasia.
1, low-fat diet.
2, more exercise.
3, adjustment of menstruation.
4, a good state of mind.
5, regular sleep.
6.Vitamin supplementation.
7, harmonious sexual life.
Pregnancy breast
Changes in the levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and placental prolactin secreted by the placenta and ovaries during pregnancy lead to significant changes in the mammary glands. From the 3rd month onwards the breasts start to gradually increase in size, and as the weeks of pregnancy increase the breasts continue to increase in size, become hard and tough, the nipple areola coloring increases, and the breasts are full to the point of colostrum formation in the later stages. This enlargement is also uneven, not only does it vary from one breast to another, but it also varies from one part of the same breast to another, so that during breastfeeding there is an uneven distribution of milk in some places, and even in some places the basis of cystic hyperplasia is formed.
Lactation period
True breast lactation begins 2 days after delivery, when the breasts start to swell and pain, which disappears after breastfeeding. The amount of milk produced is related to the degree of mammary gland development during pregnancy. With the stimulation of breastfeeding the amount of milk increases with the lactation of 250-300ml per day for one week after delivery, and up to 750-1000ml per day for one month after delivery, with an average daily production of 850ml for 6 months, and the milk starts to decrease for 9 months after delivery, and 50-70% of the food absorbed by pregnant women is converted into milk.
The size of the breast is not directly related to the amount of milk, we often see people with small breasts have a lot of milk. We often see that people with small breasts have a lot of milk, while people with large breasts have little milk.
If you do not breastfeed after childbirth, the mammary glands can deteriorate rapidly. If breastfeeding is carried out, milk is produced. After weaning, milk is not secreted soon, but in some cases, milk is still secreted for several years. This is because there is still milk secretion in individual mammary gland alveoli, which remains and will gradually disappear after several years.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding can cause the symptoms of simple breast hyperplasia to significantly relieve or subside, while also accelerating the growth of benign and malignant breast tumors.
Prevention of mastitis during lactation.
1. prevention of milk stagnation.
2. attention to breast hygiene.
3. correct way of breastfeeding.
4.Increasing maternal resistance.
5.Regular breastfeeding consultation.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the period before and after menopause, which is the sign of ovarian decline. As menstruation changes and becomes less frequent or stops, there are corresponding changes in the breasts. As the breast gland shrinks, the lobules and ducts of the breast diminish, and fatty tissue replaces the breast, so the breast does not decrease in size.
Old age
At the age of 60, women enter old age, when the glands in the breast shrink further, with few glands, a weak lack of sex hormones, the complete cessation of menstruation, and the complete atrophy of the female external and internal genitalia, leaving only a small amount of subareolar ducts and fatty tissue.
In summary, the development of the breast is accompanied by hormonal changes, mainly by the action of estrogen, development and growth, recovery and degeneration. All breast functions are similar for almost all women from early childhood to old age, but the degree varies from person to person. 20 years old is the high incidence of fibroids; 30-40 years old is the high incidence of breast hyperplasia due to abnormal lobules; 40-50 years old is the high incidence of cystic hyperplasia due to dilated ducts; and after 50 years old is the high incidence of breast cancer.