Breastfeeding is beneficial for mother and child and especially for the women who have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Women with MS, who breastfeed exclusive, have reduced risk of developing postpartum relapse in comparison to those who do not.

Study researchers cleared that exclusive breastfeeding involves just mother's milk and not supplementing it with other fluids such as formula milk. Study's lead researcher Dr. Kerstin Hellwig from Ruhr-University Bochum said that postpartum relapse is common among women.

At least 20% of new mothers pass through it in the first four months after the delivery. The researchers have said that if women breastfeed their babies for at least two months then it may prevent them from relapse for around half a year.

In the study, the researchers looked at the records of more than 200 women diagnosed with MS. Most of them were taking DMT (disease-modifying therapy) agents, a group of medications meant to control the progress and symptoms of the disease.

The researchers even looked at the German registries for MS and pregnancies. The researchers came to know that majority of women prefer exclusive breastfeeding, around 20% breastfeed non-exclusively and at least 19% did not breastfeed at all.

Of the ones who did not breastfeed exclusively, around 38% developed a relapse with the first year of after giving birth. "Clearly breastfeeding is not harmful and therefore most women with MS should be supported if they choose to breastfeed exclusively since it clearly does not increase the risk of postpartum relapse", said Hellwig.