At first DDT and its metabolite DDE were thought to be estrogenic, but more thorough research determined that rather than mimicking estrogen, DDT and DDE were blocking the male androgens. A woman's past exposure to POPs can have far-ranging impacts that include even her ability to nurse her child. Two studies have reported that women with higher levels of DDE in their blood nurse their babies for significantly shorter periods of time than women with lower levels. Even after birth, an infant continues to be significantly affected by his or her mother's exposures, as the mother passes POPs on to her child through her breast milk. Through breast milk, infants can ingest a much higher dose, pound for pound, than an adult gets on an average day.
Research shows that the first baby a mother nurses probably receives the highest dose of POPs.
Scientists found that women have higher levels of PCBs and DDE in breast milk from their first lactation and in the earlier samples of a given lactation, and that levels decline both with time spent nursing and with each subsequent child nursed. Notwithstanding these risks, breast-feeding clearly is the preferred way to nourish a newborn. The challenge for policymakers is to end harmful contamination of mothers' milk. References Colburn, T, D Dumanoski and JP Meyers. Our Stolen Future.