NIH study shows association between soy baby formula, menstrual pain in adulthood

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A new study has important information for parents about soy baby formula. Soy formula feeding during infancy is associated with a painful complication in adulthood, according to the study from the National Institutes of Health and the online journal Human Reproduction. The study says soy feedings as an infant are associated with severe menstrual pain later in life. Researchers studied more than 1,500 babies. They were looking especially in this study at infants who were African-American as similar studies included mainly babies that were white. Researchers say this adds to previous studies that have shown that exposure to soy formula during early life may have detrimental effects on the reproductive system. The women fed soy formula in the study were not only more likely to experience moderate to severe menstrual discomfort, they were more likely to need hormonal contraceptive later in life to help reduce it. The study author says soy contains genistein, which lab studies show interferes with the development of the reproductive system. They say it's also being linked to other common women's health problems, such as endometriosis, heavy bleeding and fibroids.