The Safety Question
When breast implants became widespread in the 1970s–1990s, questions arose about whether silicone could leach through the implant shell, enter breast tissue, and ultimately appear in breast milk. This was a legitimate scientific question that several research groups investigated over subsequent decades.
What the Studies Found
Multiple studies have measured silicon levels in breast milk from augmented and non-augmented women. Silicon (the element, which silicone compounds contain) is naturally present in human breast milk and in many foods. A 1998 study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (Semple et al.) found silicon levels in breast milk from augmented women were not significantly different from those in non-augmented women. Similar findings have been reported in subsequent studies. Notably, silicon levels in cow's milk and commercial infant formula are substantially higher than those found in human breast milk from augmented women.
The Scientific Consensus
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the FDA, and major plastic surgery societies have concluded that the available evidence does not demonstrate that breast implants pose a risk to breastfed infants via breast milk. The Institute of Medicine's comprehensive 1999 review of silicone breast implant safety reached similar conclusions. More recent reviews have not altered this consensus.
Practical Considerations
Despite reassuring data on milk safety, breastfeeding success rates are somewhat lower in augmented women than in the general population, primarily due to the effects of surgery on ductal anatomy and glandular tissue rather than any chemical concern. The practical challenge for augmented breastfeeding parents is typically about milk production and supply rather than milk composition safety.
