Breasts and The Immune System

Introduction

Historically, breasts have always been synonymous with attractiveness, hyper femininity and the male gaze. Today, I would like to challenge that standard by revealing their true purpose: as, biologically speaking, the saviours of the human race. As we will soon learn, without them, there would be far less of us around. 

Myths

For ages, scientists have argued that men find themselves attracted to larger breasts, because they equate to a higher degree of fertility. However, if more recent science is to be believed, it is the hip to waist ratio that is more indicative of reproductive success, not your cup size. 

Breast size also has nothing to do with the effectiveness of a woman’s breastfeeding; skinny tea cups will do the job just as well as the biggest melons on the market. So really, it’s weird that we all hold such fascination for our lumpy mounds of fat. They’re just milk pumps, man.

Before Birth

A mother begins transmitting antibodies and immunoglobulins (antibodies already trained to recognise certain pathogens) to her child before they are  even born. Antibodies are made by a specialised immune cell called the B-cell, whose production of them is part of a complicated dance your body undertakes to protect you, and during pregnancy, your fetus. 

Although a woman’s disgruntled Immune System may view the fetus with suspicion at first, it eventually learns to protect and defend the fetus from dangerous pathogens, mostly thanks to the guidance of incredibly important cells called Trophoblasts. 

While antibodies can diffuse from the mother’s blood to the fetus through the placenta, most pathogens and toxins (with the exception of HIV, the rubella virus and nicotine) are blocked from coming into contact with the vulnerable little creature.

Colostrum and Breast milk

New mothers may be alarmed at what their breasts produce in their first few days of feeding their baby; unlike the white bluish colour of breastmilk, colostrum is a thick yellow secretion which has an unfortunate resemblance to pus. Despite its appearance, it is crucial for your young child’s well being and developing Immune System, containing huge amounts of long lasting antibodies, such as IgG and IgM. It also acts as a laxative, allowing the baby’s body to more easily excrete meconium (prenatal poop) and make key space for your gut microbiota, as we’ll discuss later. When I first learnt about the existence of colostrum, I was shocked at its lack of coverage in education and the media. Ignorance and disgust has often affected how we view breastfeeding: from medieval mothers refraining from feeding their children colostrum (it was considered unhealthy) or assigning the task to another woman entirely (wet nurses) to modern mothers being facing stigma for breastfeeding in public. 

Breastmilk continues to supply the child with a hefty supply of antibodies until around a year after birth, when the child begins to receive their first injections. Besides guaranteeing passive immunity, breast milk also contains a wide range of essential nutrients, and is up to 90% water. This is crucial, as babies cannot safely ingest pure water in their early stages of life.

A Healthy Gut

A rather intriguing, and lesser known aspect of breastfeeding is the role it plays in nourishing your gut microbiota, without which you would not be able digest food at all. A baby gets their first taste of gut microbiota through contact with their mother’s vagina and skin, as well as through breastmilk. These hearty little fellows then get down to the task at hand: colonising your intestines and living happily ever after in grudging simbiosis with the rest of you. However, to ensure these bacteria flourish in your gut, colostrum and breastmilk contain loads of oligosaccharides, a type of prebiotic. Despite the fancy terminology, all it really is is specialised food for the microbiota, encouraging their growth and expansion. In colostrum, oligosaccharide concentration can reach a whopping 23 grams per litre. 

Contraceptive

An interesting aside, breastfeeding is the closest Mother Nature has to a contraceptive. Although it should not be used as a reliable, foolproof method, studies have shown that breastfeeding women have less than a 5% chance of getting pregnant. 

Conclusion

While it is undeniable that breasts will remain a mainly sexual concept for as long as our cultures dictate it, we should also appreciate them for the hard work they do. Breastfeeding is a long, often painful process that many new mothers go through to ensure their newborn gets the very best start in life. The associations we give to breasts lie mostly in the current societal standards: there were long periods in the 60’s when it was perfectly normal to go around topless at the beach. All this to say that we should respect breasts more. They are, after all, givers of life.

Potential causes: 

It’s difficult for officials to determine the real cause of the fires, but there’ve been a number of theories. Some conspiracists think that the fires may have been caused by arson - which is the criminal act of setting fire to something deliberately. This theory wouldn’t be completely unfathomable, because it would explain how six fires broke out in different areas of LA at the same time, but most believe that the primary cause is a combination of the dry Californian conditions and the strong gusts of wind. 

California is extremely dry, so its ground and soil are extremely prone to fires. Besides this, what tends to happen is that if a fire starts, strong winds intensify its combustion by increasing the oxygen supply. The Los Angeles area is very vulnerable to wind, specifically, the strong Santa Ana winds that sweep across Southern California. 

It’s definitely too early to determine the actual cause of these rampant fires, but the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) as well as a group of state officials are investigating as we speak. At the moment, their priority is extinguishing the fires as best they can, as well as rescuing and supporting those in need. 

Impact on water bodies: 

Environmentalists have also expressed concerns for the impact of the fires on water bodies in California. For example, a lot of toxic debris from the fires has collected near the canyon that leads onto the Pacific Coast Highway. Their main fear is that any sort of rainfall will cause this debris to wash into the water of Santa Monica Bay, affecting the water quality and marine life.

Impact on wildlife: 

Considered to be the most biodiverse state in the US, California is home to a variety of wildlife. Although the recent LA fires have mostly affected residential areas, the fires spreading to the forests are a cause for concern too. Forests and shrubbery are being disintegrated, reducing the food supply for animals.