The Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki: Shattering Japan's Perception of Motherhood
In the aftermath of the tragic atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a cloud of uncertainty has hung over the health of survivors and their families. However, recent scientific research and expert statements have shed light on a common misconception - that radiation-induced cancer can be passed from atomic bomb survivors to their children through breastfeeding.
Despite personal anecdotal reports and social stigma, thorough research and expert consensus find no evidence that radiation-induced cancer is transmitted or passed on to children through breast milk. Atomic bomb survivors, known as hibakusha, have an elevated risk of developing cancers, such as leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), as a lifelong effect of their exposure to radiation. These effects arise from radiation-induced genetic abnormalities in the survivors’ own cells, not through transmission via breastfeeding.
Mitsuko Yoshimura, a 102-year-old survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, is one such individual who has faced the challenges of radiation exposure. She was a kilometer away from the epicenter of the blast, and her survival was a miracle. However, she suffered greatly in the aftermath, with her hair falling out and regular vomiting of blood for months. Despite these hardships, Mitsuko has dedicated herself to educating younger generations about the toll of nuclear war.
Another survivor, Kikuyo Nakamura, was 21-years old and 5 kilometers from the epicenter of the Nagasaki bombing in 1945. She did not suffer any immediate effects of radiation exposure but had a tumor in her abdomen at age 70. Tragically, her son Hiroshi, who was a survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, was diagnosed with stage 4 leukemia in 2003, at age 55. He passed away six months after his diagnosis. Despite a doctor's suggestion that the radiation that caused Hiroshi's cancer was passed on through breastfeeding when he was a baby, the evidence does not support this claim.
Radiation exposure during the embryonic period (weeks 5 up to 15) can increase the risk of giving birth to children with intellectual disabilities, neurological issues, and microcephaly. However, these risks are not related to breastfeeding transmission of cancer-causing radiation effects.
Public health guidance after nuclear exposure often recommends caution in breastfeeding immediately after exposure due to potential contamination, but this does not imply a long-term hereditary transmission of cancer risk through breast milk from atomic bomb survivors.
Mitsuko Yoshimura and Nakamura, both survivors of the Nagasaki bombing, continue to live alone, having lost their husbands years ago. They have dolls in their homes as a substitute for children and grandchildren. Despite the misconceptions about radiation transmission through breastfeeding, they remain dedicated to educating the younger generations about the realities of nuclear war and its lasting effects.
- The scientific community has debunked the common misconception that radiation-induced cancer can be passed from atomic bomb survivors to their children through breastfeeding.
- Mitsuko Yoshimura, a survivor of the Nagasaki bombing, who was a kilometer away from the epicenter, faced numerous health challenges but there is no evidence to support the claim that her radiation-induced cancer was transmitted to her through breastfeeding.
- Kikuyo Nakamura, another Nagasaki bombing survivor, had a son who was diagnosed with leukemia, but the evidence does not support the claim that his radiation-induced cancer was caused by breastfeeding transmission from his mother.
- Public health guidance after nuclear exposure advises caution in breastfeeding immediately after exposure due to potential contamination, but it does not imply a long-term hereditary transmission of cancer risk through breast milk from atomic bomb survivors.
