Breastfeeding safe despite uranium traces, say experts | Patna News

Patna: Officials and research scientists of the city-based Mahavir Cancer Sansthan (MCS) on Monday clarified that lactating mothers need not panic over recent findings on uranium concentration in breast milk and must not stop breastfeeding.MCS superintendent L B Singh, director Manisha Singh and medical research head Ashok Ghosh told reporters that the research conducted by the Sansthan highlights the need for further study and public health intervention to address uranium contamination in groundwater and its potential impact on vulnerable groups. “Despite the contamination, the study emphasises that breastfeeding remains the optimal method for infant nutrition and should not be discontinued unless clinically indicated,” they said.They added that the study analysed breast milk samples from only 40 lactating mothers aged 17-35 years, collected from six districts of Bihar. Uranium (U238) contamination was found to range between 0 and 5.5 microgram/l in Bhojpur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Nalanda, Samastipur and Katihar, in increasing order. However, there is no permissible limit or benchmark specified for uranium concentration in breast milk.The results further indicated that 70% of the studied infant population had the potential to face non-carcinogenic health effects. There was no carcinogenic risk observed in the exposed subjects, they said.Ghosh, who earlier headed the Bihar State Pollution Control Board, said uranium contamination in groundwater remains a matter of significant concern in India, affecting 151 districts in 18 states, including Bihar. Various studies have previously reported uranium presence in groundwater in 11 districts – Gopalganj, Saran, Siwan, East Champaran, Patna, Vaishali, Nawada, Nalanda, Supaul, Katihar and Bhagalpur. The breast milk samples were collected from six of these districts.“The source of U238 contamination in the studied areas could be drinking water sources or food cultivated in the same location,” Ghosh added.